This World Can't Tear Us Apart
by Wyvernhail
Summary: Sasuke had known what he needed to do after that fateful day, the only thing holding him back was the lavender eyed girl with the warm smile. Itachi had left someone behind forever scarring her in the process. When the truth is revealed everything they thought to be real will come crashing down. Events that occurred were not what they seemed. *art by xCluBearx
1. Forsake Not the Dream

**A/N:** This is my very first fanfiction so I hope you enjoy it. The idea for the story has been in my head for a while, so I figured it was time to start putting it down. I've read many stories where Hiashi and Hanabi are cold and uncaring towards Hinata and I'll tell you right now, that this will NOT be one of those stories. If I recall correctly, in the "Neji Chronicles" Hiashi shows up to help Neji when he's fighting the Kumogakure spectators that attempted to kidnap Hinata, and tells him that Hinata is his precious daughter and that he is a precious memento from his late brother. So see? He can't be all bad. Anyway, I'm gonna change a lot of things around in the story, since it is mine and I can do it. It will not be a short fiction I'll tell you that much right now. Main pairing is Sasuke and Hinata but there will also be others. For reference Hinata, Sasuke and the remaining Rookie 9 are the same age, with the exception of Neji, Lee, and Ten Ten who are a year older. Hanabi is two years younger than Hinata and Itachi is three years older than Sasuke. On with the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I **DO NOT** own Naruto just my love for SasuHina.

I apologize for any grammatical errors ahead of time. I do not have a beta.

_**Rating:**_ **T **for this chapter.

Title for the story and this chapter are courtesy of Trivium, one of my favorite bands.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Forsake Not the Dream<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

They were standing in front of a house she had never been to before. Her father had told her that they were going to pay a visit to the leader of their rival clan and asked her caretaker to make her look presentable, who had dressed her in one of her best kimonos, a light purple silk kimono with a navy blue obi. Now they were standing at the front door waiting for someone to answer and she was so scared she was trembling. Her father had told her that it was very important for her to be at her best behavior, and since she was only four years old, she did not understand the significance of this meeting. She would listen to her father however, since at her young age she did understand the importance of clan business, she was after all the clan heiress.

After what seemed an eternity she heard someone walking towards the door to open it. Standing there she saw a beautiful woman with fair skin, black hair and the darkest eyes she had ever seen; she had grown accustomed to the white pupil less eyes of the Hyūga. She wasn't afraid of the dark eyed woman, instead of feeling fear when she looked into those eyes all she felt was warmth.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Hyūga-sama," she said as she bowed when she realized who was standing at the door.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Uchiha-san," her father replied to the nice lady.

"Please, just Mikoto will do Hyūga-sama," she said and turned to look at his side when she saw movement behind his robes. "Who do we have here?" She asked as she knelt down.

"This is my eldest, Hinata." He said as he put his hand on the back of the dark blue haired girl and gently pushed her forward so Mikoto could see her.

"O-ohayō gozaimasu Uchiha-sama," she said once she was standing in front of her.

"Ohayō, Hinata-san. Are you the heiress?" Mikoto said almost as an afterthought and the young girl nodded in response. "You are a beauty." She added with a warm smile and Hinata couldn't help but smile at the nice lady as a deep blush swept over her cheeks.

Mikoto heard footsteps coming from behind her and stood up straight; without having to turn around she knew it was her husband. Coming up to stand beside her, recognition flashed across his face when he saw who was standing at their door.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Hyūga-sama," Uchiha Fugaku offered as a greeting with a slight bow of his head.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Uchiha-sama," Hyūga Hiashi mirrored his actions.

Once greetings were out of the way, the man with the pronounced tear troughs turned to his wife and said, "Mikoto, Hyūga-sama and I have to go and settle some clan business. Can you watch over Hinata-san while we are away? More than likely it will take us all day, but I assured Hyūga-sama that she would not be in better care than with you."

She felt flattered at what Fugaku had said about her and couldn't help but blush. She knew that the fact that Fugaku and Hiashi were making the effort to end their clans' rivalry by working together was meant to show the rest of the people in both clans that they could settle their differences once and for all. She in turn was going to do everything she could to help them.

"Hai, she will be in good hands." She said as she looked down at the little one and gave her a warm smile.

With that both men bowed their head and walked off to work on establishing peace once and for all between the two feuding clans.

She looked at Hinata and couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of her. The little girl was extremely nervous from what she could tell; she had her little hands in front of her and kept poking her index fingers together. Her face was such a vivid shade of red that she thought the little girl would pass out on her any second.

She knelt down so she could be at the same level as her. "Hinata-san, do you want to help me prepare lunch? I have two sons that I would love for you to meet and they will be coming home soon from training."

"H-hai Uchiha-sama," Hinata replied a little more at ease as her normal color slowly began to return.

"Just call me Mikoto. I have a feeling you and I will be spending a lot of time together from now on and I want you to become comfortable around me."

"H-hai M-Mikoto-sama," the young girl could only agree.

Mikoto grabbed her hand to lead her inside and closed the door behind them. Once inside they both took off their shoes and put on some slippers before Hinata was led even further inside the house. She could see the Uchiha's home was pretty large, and as she walked through the house she saw several pictures hanging on the walls. When she reached one that had two smiling boys she stopped to look. One was a little older than her and was hugging the other who looked to be around her age. The older of the two had black hair held back in a low ponytail up to his shoulders, and she could see faintly the tear troughs she had seen earlier on the Uchiha clan head starting to form on the boy's cheeks. The younger one had black hair as well, but it was shorter and shinier and he had a big smile on his face. They both shared the same dark eyes and it was a trait, she noticed, that both Mikoto and Fugaku had as well.

She smiled and turned to Mikoto. "A-are these your s-sons M-Mikoto-sama?"

Mikoto nodded and smiled gently at her. "The oldest is Itachi who is 7 and just graduated from the academy. The youngest is Sasuke who is 4 and I believe is your age." Hinata nodded and Mikoto continued to lead her towards the kitchen. "Come, you will meet them and maybe even get to play with them when they come home."

When they reached the kitchen Mikoto walked towards the refrigerator and pulled out the ingredients she needed to make today's meal. She decided she would grill some beef, vegetables and onigiri to keep things simple that way she could have Hinata help her, and they could spend more time together. She wanted to talk to the young girl and get to know her.

Hinata looked around the kitchen; it was smaller then the one at the Hyūga compound but there were a lot more people living there. The kitchen was a very warm and welcoming shade of cream, with a wooden floor, counters along two of the walls and an island in the middle of it with six chairs. She was too busy looking about the kitchen that she didn't notice Mikoto walk behind her. She was startled when she felt hands on each side of her small waist and her feet left the ground. Before she could react she found herself sitting on one of the stools. She turned to look at the older woman and received a smile.

Mikoto looked at Hinata and couldn't help but marvel at the little one. She had dark blue hair cut short in the traditional hime style with two chin-length strands framing her face. She had the eyes the Hyūga were known for, pupil less white eyes, but when you looked directly at hers you could see there was a tinge of lavender in them. She did not have the traditional looks of the Hyūga since the clan had dark brown hair with white eyes. She definitely resembled her mother, Hyūga Hikari.

"Mikoto-sama is something wrong?" She questioned and tugged on her hand.

"No Hinata-san, I was just thinking about your mother and noticed that you look so much like her." She said with a trace of sadness in her voice.

Hinata's eyes widened at the revelation. "Y-you k-knew okā-san?"

"Hai, she was the sweetest woman I ever met," she replied as she stroked her dark blue hair. "Even though our clans were rivals she befriended me. Hikari became my best friend and she hoped that our being so close would show the rest of our clans that we could all live peacefully and without hate, except that our people weren't ready for change at the time. With her passing while giving birth to your little sister Hanabi, your father realized that he needed to do everything he could to realize your mother's dream, for your own good, the clans', and also Konoha's."

Hinata's eyes began to tear up as she listened to this new revelation about her mother. "W-why d-do the Uchiha and Hyūga h-hate each other, Mikoto-sama?"

"Nobody knows anymore Hinata-san. It all started so long ago that those who were alive when it all began are no longer around, but we speculate that it started when Konoha was founded."

"T-that's such a l-long t-time!" The little one exclaimed.

"Hai, and that is why Hiashi-sama and Fugaku are working together to bring an end to it all. Things won't change overnight especially since there's so many years' worth of hate to forgive, but we hope that this will pave the way for your generation and you all will learn from our mistakes."

After listening to their clans' history, Hinata was overwhelmed with emotion and threw her arms around Mikoto. She was caught off guard but she then hugged the young heiress just as tightly and put her chin on her head.

She wept as she hugged the Uchiha and cried even more when she felt her respond to the embrace. She was only four years old but she was growing up without her mother, and although her father tried as best he could to be there for his daughters he would never be able to fill that place that only a mother could. Now in the arms of Mikoto she felt safe and warm, but at the same time the absence of her mother hit her even more.

"I p-promise that I will do e-everything I can to create p-peace b-between our p-people Mikoto-sama! I w-will become s-strong and f-fulfill my mother's, yours, otō-sama's, Fugaku-sama's, and n-now my dream!"

"You will not be alone, Hinata," Mikoto said and neither of them noticing the lack of the honorific to her name. "My Itachi and Sasuke will be there to support you. They want nothing more than peace for our people, especially Itachi. He has already experienced war firsthand and does not want Sasuke to have to go through what he did."

With this said it seemed to calm the heiress down and Mikoto gave her a kiss on the forehead. As she held the girl in an embrace she felt the need to protect her and always be there for her. She hadn't been blessed with a daughter but she knew that the young heiress would be the daughter she never had. She would also be fulfilling the promise she made to Hikari, to be there for Hinata and Hanabi if she could not. Hinata was young, but because of the responsibilities that she had to bare as the eldest in the main family she would have to mature fast and with this revelation she was starting to show it. All she wanted to do was provide for her that escape from her obligations as heiress and give her a somewhat normal childhood. Hinata had a difficult childhood ahead of her.

"Hinata what do you say we finish lunch. Want to learn how to make onigiri?" Hinata nodded enthusiastically and smiled.

Mikoto was glad she was able to change the topic without much effort, the little one had captivated her heart after only a few hours of meeting her and she couldn't stand to see her sad. They both washed their hands and continued to prepare lunch. She took out some tomatoes, rinsed them and placed them on a bowl on the center of the table.

When Hinata gave her a quizzical look she said, "Sasuke loves tomatoes so we must always have plenty on hand; he's not like average children his age." Mikoto leaned down closer to her ear as if to confess a secret, "He hates sweets."

Hinata made a face, "How can he hate sweets? He doesn't know what he's missing! I love cinnamon rolls and could eat them all day!"

Mikoto laughed and committed her love for cinnamon rolls to memory. "Maybe we can make some cinnamon rolls later for dessert," she said as she tickled her.

The blue haired girl nearly jumped off the stool from the attack. Once Mikoto stopped tickling her and she caught her breath, she looked up at her and asked with hopeful eyes "R-really Mikoto-sama? I'll help you with a-anything you ask!"

Mikoto looked at her puppy eyes and couldn't deny her. From that moment she knew that whenever Hinata were to make "the eyes" as she would refer to them, nobody would be able to resist her.

"Alright, but let's finish making lunch. The boys will be done with their training soon."

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Sasuke walked down the streets in Konoha with his hero, his big brother Itachi. He was so proud of him, he was only seven but he had already graduated from the academy and it had only taken him a year! Yes, he wanted to be just like his brother but more than anything he longed for his father's acceptance. Itachi was the prodigy of the Uchiha and he was the type of genius that only came around every once in a while, and because of that Sasuke felt the pressure to be as good as or if not better than him.

Regardless of the pressure that was put on the young boys, Sasuke did not hate his brother. He loved him dearly and wanted Itachi to feel just as proud of him as he was of the older Uchiha. They walked mostly in silence, since neither of the two were fond of unnecessary chatter and found the silence pleasant.

They had approached the Uchiha District and Sasuke realized how it was like a small village in itself within Konoha. They weren't very close to the center of the village, they were towards the outskirts but that's how they preferred it. The clan had always tried to keep to themselves and keep their business private; it was also because the Hyūga compound was on the other side of town and their ancestors had wanted nothing to do with their rivals. Neither he nor his brother understood why their clans had been rivals for years, but all he knew was that they would both do the impossible in order to obtain peace within the clans. It was what their parents wanted and had instilled in them. It was also their responsibility as the sons of the Head of the Clan.

When they reached their home, Itachi was the first to walk in. Once both were inside they took off their shoes put them off to the side. The house seemed more quiet than usual and Itachi was starting to get suspicious. _How odd... okā-san always greets us when we come home for lunch. I wonder where she is..._

As if reading his mind, Sasuke called out "Okā-san we're home! What's for lunch?" He proceeded to walk behind his brother towards the kitchen.

They both walked slowly and he could tell that Itachi was tense and alert— their mother had not received them at the door and that in and of itself was not normal. They were almost at the kitchen and that's when they heard it. From the kitchen they heard what sounded like... _giggles?_ Sasuke almost ran the rest of the way, except he bumped into something or rather someone that stood at the doorway. He looked up to see his brother who appeared to be frozen on the spot and he was looking inside the kitchen and seemed as if in a trance. He moved to his right and around his brother to see what had caught his attention and that's when he saw her for the first time.

She was sitting on one of the stools next to his mom and they were both smiling and laughing. She had dark blue hair and a boyish haircut, which he wouldn't have liked on a girl but it seemed to actually look good on her. He was fascinated by the color of her hair, all Uchiha women had black hair and hers was a shade he had never seen before, a midnight blue. The little girl had fair porcelain-like skin and wore a light purple kimono with a navy blue obi around her waist that brought out the darkness of her hair and the fairness of her skin even more. Then she laughed at something his mom had said to her, and he wasn't able to catch it since he was too distracted by the almost music-like sound of her laughter. When he heard it he came to the realization that if he could help it he would do anything to hear that beautiful sound again and see that smile on her face. This discovery shocked him. He hated girls yet he felt drawn to this one. At four years old he had already started to attract the attention of fan girls and he found all females to be annoying, with the exception of his mom of course. He heard the mysterious girl giggle again and all he knew was that he wanted to know who she was, what she was doing in their home, and if he would continue to see her. Both females were forming onigiri balls, and were too fascinated by the task at hand to notice the two dark haired boys that had just walked in on them.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

When they had walked into their home and his mother had been nowhere in sight, Itachi started to feel a sense of alarm. This was out of the ordinary; their mother was... predictable. As they got closer to the kitchen he started to hear voices coming from that direction and once he got to the doorway he stopped. He had imagined many different scenarios in his head; his mother being held at kunai point by a stranger, or anything involving her being in actual danger.

He had not, however, been expecting this. At the table sat a young girl, beautiful from what he could tell. She had dark blue hair in the traditional hime hairstyle and the fairest skin he had seen. She wore a silk light purple kimono with a navy blue obi and from the fine fabric he could tell she was someone of status. _Is it... no it couldn't be._

He turned to look at his mother's face and saw that she wore a huge smile on her face when she looked at the little girl, she was happy. He tried to remember when was the last time he had seen utter joy reflected on her face and the sad thing was that he couldn't. Sure she was happy with the three males and loved them all to death, but he knew that his mother had always felt somewhat incomplete since she hadn't been blessed with a daughter. Whoever the girl was he was grateful she had stumbled upon them, for he had long wanted his mother to be truly happy.

He looked down when he felt something bump into his back and break him from his reverie. He was relieved to see it was only Sasuke. He had been too distracted by the sight in front of him that he forgot his little brother was right behind him. He continued to look at him as he went around him to see what was going on.

He watched in fascination as Sasuke's expression went from one of annoyance, to one of curiosity, and finally to one of complete and utter admiration when they heard her laugh. He had never seen his little brother show interest in anything other than training, especially not a girl. _Hn... it seems Sasuke has met his weakness._

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Well that's the end of the first chapter, and I hope that you at least found it somewhat entertaining. It will get a lot better, I promise! I have so many ideas for this story! I will finish it no matter what, and I will try to update regularly. I'm working on the second chapter already. If you do feel like you have to absolutely review the chapter, please don't be cruel. Like I said it's my first story and I have no beta... I will gladly accept constructive criticism, but no flames! I don't go around leaving hateful comments on the stories I take the time to actually review. So let me know what you think!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	2. Suffocating Sight

_**A/N:**_ First off I want to thank those of you that took the time to review my first chapter. I didn't understand the emphasis some authors would stress at the end of their chapters, but now I do. Reviews are... awesome. Especially after a not so great day at work! Anyway, here's the second chapter!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto, if I did I would not have killed off Itachi.

_**Rating:**_ **T**

Title for the chapter courtesy of Trivium.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Suffocating Sight<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

Mikoto had been so preoccupied with the young girl at her side that she didn't hear the opening of the door or Sasuke calling out to her when they arrived. She did notice them before they were fully visible; their presence was something she was all too familiar with.

"Your onigiri are deformed," she told Hinata with a small laugh when she noticed the girl's rice was misshapen. "Those don't look like bunny faces to me," she remarked teasingly trying to make her laugh and put her at ease.

She had noticed the young heiress had a look of deep concentration on her face while trying to accomplish the task. She knew that because of her status, Hinata would have many servants ready to comply with her every whim, and therefore not have to cook for herself a day in her life. Mikoto had wanted to at least show her the small pleasure she could feel in doing something as small as this for herself. Sure she was very young, but this was the time that children would acquire the habits and characteristics that would shape them into the adults that they would be. She also knew that it would be something her dear friend Hikari would have wanted for her daughter; to be strong and self-reliable, not a spoiled brat that was used to everyone around her doing everything for her.

"S-sorry, M-Mikoto-sama I've n-never done this b-before." She replied as she looked down and another deep blush covered her cheeks.

"Don't worry Hinata, I was just teasing you. Besides I suspected that this was your first time handling food which is why I wanted to show you how to cook, just little things here and there to start with. Once you learn you'll realize the great satisfaction that comes with preparing something delicious all on your own and being able to share it with your loved ones. Then you'll never get them to leave you alone and they won't go anywhere else. All the restaurants in Konoha have got nothing on my home cooked meals!" She exclaimed and earned a giggle from the heiress. "Why do you think Itachi-kun and Sasuke-kun come home for every meal they can?" At this the little girl laughed even more.

Itachi and Sasuke had been standing at the entryway for a few seconds and she decided to look up and acknowledge them to see how they would respond to her comment, but when she finally did, she tried real hard not to laugh at the expressions on her sons' faces.

Itachi had a look of curiosity at the exchange going on between the two females, but Sasuke's expression surprised her more out of the two. He looked at Hinata with... adoration? She wasn't sure and when she tried to look a bit more closely, it was gone. _I see he's learning more from Itachi in their __training than I thought._

Itachi had learned at a young age how to hide his true feelings from everyone around him, but because she knew him more than anybody else she could still see his emotions – even if it was only for brief seconds – reflected in his eyes. He was the Uchiha prodigy after all and she knew it came with the territory; she had just hoped he would have gotten to keep his innocence for a bit longer, he was only 7 years old after all. She hoped the same thing wouldn't happen to Sasuke, become anti-social and put up walls around himself as to let hardly anyone in, but she knew that in time it would. Sasuke wanted to be just like his big brother because he admired and loved him so much and also because he longed for his father's acceptance; only Itachi existed in Fugaku's eyes. She didn't want the life of a shinobi for her sons, but she knew that they would all have to play their role for the sake of the village.

"Oh, Itachi and Sasuke, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in! I lost track of time, I was kept busy all morning with our guest." She explained while giving the little girl a wink and a knowing smile, as if they shared a secret that the boys weren't allowed in on.

"It's alright okā-san we just became a bit... alarmed when you didn't come to the door," Itachi replied, all the while not tearing his gaze from the unknown girl who had stopped making onigiri and was now captivated by her two index fingers twiddling together.

Mikoto saw that both of her sons could not stop staring at the little girl and were just making her more nervous, from her reactions and her light stuttering Mikoto could tell that Hinata was really shy. "Boys I'd like you to meet Hyūga Hinata, she will be spending a lot of time with us from now on since your father and Hiashi-sama will be working together for the betterment of our clans. Hinata these are my sons, Itachi and Sasuke," she said while motioning to each one respectively.

The girl finally looked up at the mention of her name, and Itachi saw that she indeed had the pupil less eyes. _So she is a Hyūga after all and not just any Hyūga but the heiress. _To his surprise upon further inspection he saw that her eyes were lavender, and not the pure white he had initially thought.

"O-ohayo gozaimasu, I-Itachi-san and S-S-sasuke-san." She said after she jumped off the chair and bowed to each one.

"Just Itachi, heiress." As if embarrassed to be recognized for the position she held she turned a bright shade of red. As if on cue, he looked down at his brother, who's eyes had widened upon learning who she was. Sasuke almost tripped over his own feet when he started to make his way towards the Hyūga and Itachi smirked at the sight.

Sasuke stood in front of Hinata and just looked at her from head to toe examining her, and when they thought she couldn't turn any more red she did under his scrutinizing gaze. "So you're like the princess of the Hyūga then aren't you?" He said when he reached his conclusion.

She shook her head violently. "N-n-no, I'm no p-princess. I'm j-just plain H-Hinata."

Itachi actually smiled at her statement. _An heiress that doesn't have a glorified image of herself. This should be interesting._

Accepting her answer, Sasuke nodded and smiled at the young heiress. Giving closure to that discussion he walked to the table, grabbed a tomato, bit it and once he was done chewing he turned to Mikoto and said, "Okā-san I'm hungry. Can we eat already?"

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They sat and ate lunch in the dining room once they took the food to the table. Hinata sat next to Mikoto and the boys sat across from them. They ate for a while in awkward silence, which none of the three children felt brave enough to break. Mikoto examined them. Hinata was looking down at her food, taking small bites, and was wearing a deep blush on her small cheeks. She turned to look for the cause of said blush, and bit the inside of her cheek so as to not laugh out loud when she found it. It was Sasuke, he was eating his lunch but wasn't even looking at his food. Instead his unwavering gaze was fixed on the girl and he looked at her with such curiosity, that she'd think he had never seen a girl before in his short life. She turned to look at Itachi, who was looking at the exchange between the two, and when her eyes met his dark gray they shared a knowing look.

She decided to finally break the silence before little Hinata passed out from the unrelenting stare of her young admirer. "How did your training go this morning?" She said addressing the boys.

Itachi made motion to answer but Sasuke startled looking at her, and interrupted him. The young heiress almost gave an audible sigh when he finally looked away from her and her color started to subside. Itachi almost laughed at her reaction, and when Hinata turned up to look at him he offered her a smile.

"Okā-san you should have seen _aniki _he was so cool!" At his response all three at the table laughed earning them a small frown in return. He just shook his head as if to shake off their reaction, and instantly beamed to continue his story. "He's so good with shuriken and kunai! He didn't miss a single target! I want to be just like aniki when I grow up!" He exclaimed looking around the table.

Itachi put a hand on his small shoulder to get his attention. "Don't worry Sasuke you're still very young and have several years to go before you enter the academy."

"But I want to be the best in my class!" Sasuke interrupted. He crossed his arms in front of his torso and pouted.

"Alright, I'll train you in the basics by the time you enter the academy." At this Sasuke cheered up and threw his arms around his big brother and caught Itachi off guard. He recovered within seconds and hugged his little brother back. "Just no weapons yet, I'll teach you some taijutsu. A shinobi shouldn't rely on weapons alone. You should always aim to incapacitate your opponent first and hurt them only as a last resort."

Sasuke nodded furiously at Itachi. "Hai, I get it. Don't kill unless you really have to, right?"

Itachi's eyes widened a little in surprise to his choice of words. He had tried not to let Sasuke find out such things so young and had in fact been a little overprotective of him. He realized, however, that he should have known better, he would not have been able to keep these things from him. It was all around them. Sasuke had not experienced war like he did, and he hoped that he never did, but he still heard about it from around the compound.

Itachi looked at his mother for reassurance and when she simply nodded he regained his composure. "Hai, don't kill people unless absolutely necessary and avoid conflict at all costs."

Mikoto looked at her sons with glazed eyes and wondered when had they grown up so quickly? She knew Itachi had been forever changed since the Third Shinobi War and she felt responsible for it.

_She and Fugaku had been called upon by the Hokage once again, since they were former ANBU, to protect the village. She felt torn between fulfilling her duty as a kunoichi and as a mother, but she knew that if her taking part in the fight helped save the lives of her beloved village, would her staying behind start a chain of events that would lead to her not having a place to come home to and most importantly risk the lives of her sons? _

_In the end all her doubts were answered. Fugaku and her, along with their squad had single-handedly stopped a devastating attack on their village and held it off long enough for reinforcements to arrive. After that she knew that if she had stayed to protect her sons, she would have risked all their lives. When it was all over and she arrived home to Itachi and Sasuke, she felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She found Itachi clutching his baby brother in a death grip, rocking back and forth and repeating as if in a chant "I'll protect you Sasuke... I swear I'll protect you and won't let anything hurt you..."_

_Her trembling knees gave out on her and would've fallen if it weren't for Fugaku standing at her side. He held her up and when she turned to look at him he saw the same pain reflected in his eyes. She broke away from him and ran towards them, stumbling and almost falling along the way. When she finally reached them and dropped to her knees she grabbed Itachi's small shoulders and shook him gently. He looked up at her and it took him a few seconds to snap out of his trance. When he finally realized who was kneeling in front of him, she looked into his dark gray eyes and saw the small thread that he was barely holding on to snap. She saw the tears finally come and overflow his eyes. He leaned into her and sobbed while his small body shook uncontrollably and violently, all the while still holding on to the baby in his small arms. Fugaku knelt down and started to take Sasuke from him, but Itachi jerked his head up and held on tighter. When realization hit him, he let go reluctantly and as soon as he was out of his arms he turned to look at Mikoto. He didn't say anything and he didn't have to. What she saw in his bloodshot eyes told her more than any words he could have said ever would, the accusation, w**here were you when all this happened? Where were you when I needed you most? Where were you when I fell apart? **_

_He sought refuge in her embrace. He sat on her lap and held on as if his life depended on it, as well as his sanity, this she knew. She sobbed with him, at his lost innocence. She knew the things he heard from the war – the explosions, the battle cries – maybe even the things he might have seen would forever scar him. Oh, how she hoped he hadn't seen anything! She felt her beloved Fugaku at their side, holding on to Sasuke with one arm as he held on to them with the other, and he cried with them silently. He realized then that his eldest son, whom he loved more than life itself, would never be the same. That's what started it all; his adoration for Itachi. He blamed himself for his pain, for not being there when he needed him the most. _

_All the while Itachi continued to cry until he passed out in their embrace. Not once did he notice the flak jacket his parents were wearing, along with the cuts on their faces and bruises already starting to form. The silent indicators that they had been at war trying to protect the things most important to __them_ _which they held in their arms at the moment. Before he was born both his parents retired from the ANBU; his mother when she became pregnant and his father shortly after, to take care of Mikoto and the unborn child as well as his roll as the new clan head. _

_After the incident Itachi never mentioned it to his parents and neither did they. At first they both thought that their eldest just didn't want to bring up that fateful night because it was painful to all of them, but later as time passed they realized that he didn't remember it. His small mind had opted to block that incident and simply forget it, or most of it, as a defense mechanism. They knew he still remembered the war and the fact that they hadn't been there for he became a pacifist after that. He always tried to avoid conflict for when kids tried to pick fights with him, or with anybody else he knew, and their justifications were unjust, he would find a way to settle things without a fight. Not to mention his being overprotective of Sasuke, she remembered how Itachi had been holding on to him and it brought tears to her eyes. Maybe one day, he would remember his breakdown and they would finally be able to talk things out and they would be able to reveal their role in protecting Konoha during the Third Shinobi War. Nobody knew what they had done, except for the Hokage, the Elders, and the ANBU for that information was classified._

She was torn away from her memories by a small hand tugging on her apron. She was snapped back to reality and realized that they were all looking at her. She smiled at them to reassure them once she saw the concern on their little faces, especially Hinata who looked like she was about to cry.

"Itachi, why don't you train Hinata as well? She wants the same thing we are striving for, peace within the clans and she needs to be strong for when she takes over the Hyūga Clan."

Itachi thought about it for a moment, even though it seemed like an eternity to Hinata. He nodded and said, "She will train with us, as long as she's okay with it."

Hinata nearly jumped from where she was sitting and almost knocked over her tea. Itachi and Sasuke only smirked at her reaction while Mikoto giggled and tried to soothe the girl by rubbing her back when she turned a bright shade of red. "H-hai I-Itachi-san. Teach me h-how to be s-strong."

Itachi nodded and was about to say something when Mikoto interrupted.

"First we have to work on that adorable stutter of yours, you have to be more confident in yourself Hinata." She said, as if reading his mind, while running her hands through her dark blue tresses.

Hinata turned to look at both of the Uchiha sitting across from her and they nodded simultaneously. She blushed again and only nodded in response not wanting to risk stuttering again.

"Don't worry Hinata, with aniki training us we will be the strongest Shinobi in the village!" Sasuke reassured her.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

After they finished their lunch the children helped Mikoto take the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Itachi wanted to help clean up but Sasuke wanted to play with his big brother and would not let him do so. Itachi finally gave in and giving Mikoto and Hinata an apologetic smile he walked of with the younger one.

Mikoto and Hinata were left alone once again and Mikoto was actually quite grateful, she would get to spend more time with the little girl. She moved a chair to the sink and picked up Hinata so she could reach the dishes and help her clean. More than anything she just wanted the young girl close, she reminded her so much of her dear friend and she already felt a growing affection towards her. She realized Hinata had something, what she wasn't quite sure, that made the people around her fall almost instantly in love with her and want to protect her. She knew this would also happen to her sons once they got close to the lavender eyed girl, but she couldn't help but wonder if it would create rivalry between the two.

"Why don't you bring Hanabi with you next time you come visit?" She asked Hinata.

"W-well, I wanted to b-because I-I don't l-like b-being away from her b-but otō-san said we shouldn't b-burden you."

"Oh nonsense! I would love to have the both of you over everyday if it were possible. You see Hinata, I love my sons but I always wanted to have a daughter. Having you and Hanabi will be like getting two daughters, not just one. I know you have your caretaker but you would be better with someone that would take care of you both as if you were her own."

Hinata lighted up at this and her eyes became glazed with emotion. She hugged Mikoto and buried her face in her neck. "Arigato Mikoto-san." Then the tears began to flow freely.

Mikoto started to tear up to and she kissed the top of her head.

Itachi and Sasuke happened to walk in on the private moment that they both shared and both boys blushed, actually blushed and looked down at their feet.

Upon realizing that they were no longer alone, both females looked up at the intrusion. They both wiped the tears from their faces and smiled.

"I'm gonna make some cinnamon rolls for dessert. Would you like some?" she asked the boys. Hinata's smile turned even wider and her eyes twinkled at the mention of her favorite treat. Mikoto could only smile at the ray of light that had been brought into their home.

Itachi replied with a "Hn."

Sasuke just made a face of disgust.

_Oh yeah, he doesn't like sweets, _Hinata remembered but it still didn't taint her happiness.

With that the boys walked away again leaving the females alone. Hinata didn't realize it yet but they were starting to fall into a pattern that they would all become familiar with.

When the cinnamon rolls were done, the smell spread throughout the whole house alerting everyone in it.

Sasuke felt like throwing up at the smell, _Ugh, I hate sweets!_

Itachi almost ran to the kitchen, he had a big sweet tooth. When he got there he saw over two dozen rolls on the table in front of him. Mikoto was taking another batch out and Hinata's eyes twinkled at the sight before her. He laughed, she couldn't seem to pick which roll she wanted.

"I-Itachi-san the rolls are d-done. W-would you like some?" She said as she grabbed a plate and placed one on it offering it to him.

He took it gladly and gave her a warm smile. She blushed and waited for him to take the first bite of it. Once he did he saw Hinata relax and breathe out as if she had been holding her breath. Mikoto smiled at them and turned to see Sasuke behind Itachi, who had also been observing the two and now frowned at them.

Hinata noticed too and spoke to him snapping him out of his thoughts. "W-would you like to t-try one S-Sasuke-san?" She asked offering him one the same way she had to Itachi.

He approached slowly and took it to everyone's surprise. He looked at it for a while, and Hinata tired of waiting took one and took a bite. She closed her eyes and made a small noise of satisfaction while chewing on the cinnamon roll, earning her a smile from the three Uchiha.

Finally giving in, Sasuke took a bite. Everyone stopped to wait for his reaction, Itachi stopped reaching for his third roll, Hinata stopped with the roll halfway to her mouth and her mouth open, and Mikoto just stared at him. Once he finished his bite he turned to look at them as they all seemed to be asking _So, what do you think?_ by their reaction.

"It's okay. It's not as bad as I thought it would be."

Hinata gasped at his response as if he had slapped her and shook her head.

"Hn," was all he heard from Itachi as he continued to reach for another roll.

Mikoto finally finished with her last batch and got one herself.

Hinata just looked between the three trying to get them to say something at what Sasuke had just said. She was still in shock. How could he have said that. Those were the best cinnamon rolls she had ever had in her short life...

When she saw they weren't gonna say anything she turned to look at Sasuke once more. He just shrugged and continued eating. She relaxed and just kept eating her favorite cinnamon rolls.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Sasuke had actually eaten sweets. He was shocked and he had done it because of her. _Her. Why do I care about what she thinks she's just another girl! _But he knew better, he knew she wasn't just another girl. She had hardly approached him and he liked that, she preferred to stay close to his mother following her around the house. She was also warming up a bit more to Itachi, blushing every time he talked to her and he felt a knot in his stomach. The feeling was unfamiliar to him.

That's when he decided to ask her. "Hinata do you wanna go outside and play with me?"

Hinata just stared at him wide eyed not knowing what to say. She turned to Mikoto as if asking for her permission and when she smiled at her, Hinata nodded at Sasuke in response.

Sasuke couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips from the victory accomplished, he merely grabbed her small hand, ignoring the blush that tainted her cheeks and led her outside.

He led her away towards the back of the house, a side which she hadn't been to yet. She could hear the floorboards creak beneath their weight as they walked deeper into the house and she waited anxiously to see where he was taking her. As Hinata looked around the house, she could see it was a large house considering it was just the four of them, but then again they were the head family so they would probably have guests stay over, much like the Hyūga did. When they finally reached a room at the end of the house Sasuke stopped in front of the _fusuma_ doors suddenly, and she was so deep in thought she bumped into his back. Instead of snapping at her he only smiled when he turned to look at her.

"Hinata I want you to close your eyes for me. Nobody other than the Uchiha has seen this part of the house, and you'll be the first." A blush crept up on her cheeks and he smiled even wider. "Okā-san takes pride in her garden. You'll see why."

He motioned for her to close them and she obeyed. She heard him slide the doors open and then she felt a warm hand wrap around hers. His touch would no longer startle her, she was becoming used to it and actually liked it.

He walked forward onto the porch still leading her by her hand, she knew they were outside; she could see the sunlight through her closed eyelids and feel its warmth. "Careful, there's three steps down." He cautioned.

When they made their way down he stopped once again and stood off to her right side. "Okay you can open them."

She gasped at the sight in front of her and felt overwhelmed by its beauty. Hinata had never seen such a beautiful garden; the one in the Hyūga compound didn't compare. She took her surroundings in slowly for fear of missing anything from the moment she knew she'd remember for the rest of her life. The revelation of their garden to her, the first member of another clan to be honored in such a way, and a Hyūga none the less.

Sasuke turned to look at her. She had squeezed his hand tighter and he realized she hadn't even noticed. She had a smile on her face and kept looking around her. The sun reflected on her seemed to give her an ethereal beauty; her porcelain skin seemed to sparkle under the light and her dark blue hair seemed to turn an altogether different shade and he liked it. He wanted to reach out and touch her, she almost didn't seem real. When he was about to do so she looked at him with those lavender eyes that appeared to see right through him.

"It's so pretty..." she whispered, with tears that were threatening to overflow.

He looked at her freely now that she had turned in his direction and he took all of her in. Her lavender eyes, her fair skin, and her blue hair. He wanted to engrave this moment in his memory and never forget it. He gave her a crooked smile, the one she had already come to love, the one that neither of them knew at the time but would only be meant for her. "Yes it is..." he whispered.

Gently pulling on her hand, he led her forward. "You're not gonna see the rest of it from here. There's so much more for you to see."

They were standing on a stone pathway that was surrounded by moss on either side. As they followed the path it curved slightly to the right and it led to a curved wooden bridge that went over a small stream. She stopped when she was on the bridge and saw that the stream widened on both sides into a large pond. Water lilies of many colors rested on the surface and when she leaned over the bridge to look she saw that several koi fish swam in its waters.

Sasuke pulled her away and continued to walk towards the end of the bridge where the stone path resumed. Once there she really took it in; the privet hedges surrounding the walls, the big Japanese white pine directly in front of the back door to the house off to the left side of the bridge, the rowan, maple and pine trees scattered here and there throughout the garden, and the stone lanterns placed at key locations throughout. Continuing the stone path, which was enclosed by pink azaleas shaped into mounds on either side, it soon turned into stone steps that curved slightly and led them down, to where she hoped she would soon find out.

Everything was so green and the plants that were in bloom, which most she couldn't name, were so beautiful. Her surroundings put her at ease. The garden became her favorite part of the house and she wished that now that she had been brought to such a place she'd be allowed to visit as often as she'd wanted.

They walk down the steps and though they were at a slight decline, got her a bit tired. She enjoyed the stroll but the garden was a lot bigger than she had thought. They finally reached the end and to her surprise, or disappointment, she saw that there was more for her to see. Sasuke, upon reading her expression, gave a smirk in amusement. In front of her the path, no longer being made out of stone but dirt, widened and there were maple trees on both sides as far as she could see.

"W-where does that lead to S-Sasuke-san?" She asked finally breaking the comfortable silence.

"I'll have to show you Hinata, but first there's something I really want you to see." He said dragging her off to the right side of the dirt path.

To her view came a huge purple wisteria, it looked as if it had been there a long time by the sheer size of it. As they approached it, she saw that hidden underneath it, covered by its large blooms and branches was a small gazebo. The wood was distressed but that just added to its appeal.

Sasuke turned to look at her again, it seemed like he had been doing that all day, and took her smile as a sign of approval. "Nobody comes here, it's my secret hideout. Whenever I feel bad because of _otō-san_, I usually come here to get away, and now I wanna share it with you Hinata."

She gasped softly at his confession and turned a light shade of pink as she looked down at her feet.

Sasuke reached out for her and held her small hands in his. "Hina, will you be my best friend?" Calling her by the nickname only those closest to her could.

Hinata was caught off guard by his question and was silent for a few seconds. In that time she could see different emotions flash in his obsidian eyes; doubt, longing to be accepted, and need. The same ones she was sure he could see on hers. She couldn't deny him at that moment and she knew she never would.

"Hai, Sasuke-kun. I'll be your best friend and I promise to always be there for you no matter what." She said with such conviction, not stuttering even once, as her eyes glazed.

That was the first most important landmark of many that would be established in their relationship. Him no longer calling her by her full name and her adopting that honorific of endearment. He hugged her, surprising them both and her arms hung at her sides. Within moments she realized what was happening and responded by slowly lifting her arms and wrapping them around his shoulders in an almost equally constricting hug.

"Domo arigato, Hina." Hesitantly he pulled away from her and held her at arms length. He saw the tears that now ran freely down her face and frowned while wiping them away. "Why are you crying?"

Hinata shook her head and smiled and him, "I'm crying because I'm happy Sasuke-kun, you're my first real friend... my best friend."

He looked into her lavender eyes and saw that they shined with new light. "My best friend... I won't let anyone hurt you Hina, not even me. If anybody tries to I'll hurt _them_."

From then on, Hinata knew everything would be alright as long as they stayed by each others' side. Even if they didn't, she knew they would find a way to look out for each other... they always would.

They continued to look at each other, and as if reading what she had been thinking Sasuke furrowed his brows. "We'll always be together no matter what happens. If one of us has to leave the other, we'll come this place, until the other returns, for as long as we need to." He said as he pointed to the gazebo. "This is our place now... nobody will know."

The thought of Sasuke leaving made a chill run down her spine and she tried to shake it off. The mere thought of him no longer being there by her side made her feel alone, and as if to try and fill the emptiness she hugged him, clutching on to him desperately.

"Don't leave Sasuke! Don't you ever leave this village! Don't you ever leave me!" She said as fresh tears came.

At seeing her cry, he felt something in him tighten and if it was within his reach he'd do anything possible to not see her cry again. Holding on to her tightly he reassured her, "I won't Hina, I'll never leave! I'll stay here with you."

They held on to each other for a while until the young heiress calmed. He then whispered to her, "Come, there's one more place I want you to see."

Giving him a shy smile, she nodded and let him hold her hand as they walked down the path, under the maple trees. She looked up and around her. _There are so many of them..._

"You should see them in the fall. We'll come here together, once the leaves start to change color. You'll wanna be here every day!" He told her once again being able to tell what she was thinking. It was something that was becoming second nature to them. She didn't talk much; not like all the other annoying girls that he knew, and he liked that about her, as much as he liked the fact that she truly wanted to be his friend and wasn't just another fan girl.

Hinata started to see a clearing, finally an end to their long walk, and saw that at the end of it was the lake. She had always loved water, and this was no exception. The sun reflected from the lake's surface, making it shimmer a wonderful shade of light orange, and it looked so different to her, as if she was looking at it for the first time. She had never seen it from this angle, though, this must only be a point accessible by the Uchiha. She was about to ask Sasuke when he interrupted.

"The villagers can't come to this side of the lake, not even other members of our clan unless given permission. It is exclusively ours."

Exclusively theirs. Not even the Hyūga had access to things like that and she felt privileged to have been granted such consideration on behalf of them; to enter their home, to be allowed into their precious garden that she was almost sure not even her mother had seen given the circumstances their clans had been in at the time, and now this private access to the lake.

"Arigato_,_ Sasuke-kun. This has been the best day I've ever had." She said with a voice filled with emotion while gently squeezing his hand.

He squeezed back. He knew exactly what she meant. This had been his happiest day, too. He wanted to lighten the mood though, he didn't like seeing her cry even if it was from happiness. He slowly turned to her and got a bit closer, he started to tickle her and she doubled over in laughter.

"Hina, cheer up! Our day together is almost over and we still haven't played!" He said finally realizing how time had flown by when he turned to look at the setting sun. She laughed. _I love hearing her laugh._

When he finally stopped and she was able to catch her breath she asked, "W-well what d-do you want to do?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment and then she saw when he finally came up with something, almost as if a light bulb turned on. He quickly tapped her on the shoulder, "You're it!" He said as he ran away.

Hinata at first didn't know how to react but when she realized what he meant she started chasing after him. He was fast and she couldn't catch up. She was wearing a kimono and it was not making things easier on her. He turned back to her when he never felt her catch up and saw she had a hard time running because of what she was wearing. To tease her even more, he'd get close to her and then run quickly away, he did it repeatedly.

"Sasuke-kun! You're no fair!" Was what he heard from the girl.

He laughed but then abruptly stopped when he heard a small grunt. He turned to look at her and saw her on the floor, her face flat on the ground. A look of worry crossed his face and he ran towards her. "Hina, are you okay?" He asked once he reached her and knelt down towards her.

She looked up abruptly and reached out for his arm, knocking him on his back from the surprise. "You're it!" She said as she giggled.

Realizing what she had done Sasuke laughed at her ingenuity. "No fair, you cheated!" He sat up and reached to tickle her once more. She put up a fight this time and tried to tickle him back.

It earned her a few laughs from the black haired boy, but neither seemed to want to give up first. "S-s-stop S-Sasuke it h-hurts!" She said in between laughs and with tears at the corners of her eyes.

"I-I'll stop if you s-stop!" With that she finally stopped and almost immediately he did too.

Trying to catch their breath, they laid on the ground, half of their small bodies on the grass and half on the dirt path. When their breaths came back to normal, they both looked up at the sky admiring the setting sun and everything around them.

"One day this will all be yours, Hina."

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **So there's the end of Chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed it. It's a pretty long chapter for me, I don't think I've ever written anything this long. Well, tell me what you think if you feel compelled to, I'd appreciate it. Oh, and I'm sorry if it seems like it's dragging, I personally don't think it is, but I just want to really establish the relationships between the characters so there's no confusion later. The story does get a lot better so stick around! Thank you for reading it so far!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	3. Washing Away Me In The Tides

**A/N:** So... this is the third chapter... I'm so excited! I didn't think I would actually get this far this fast. Anyway, I wanted to take the time to thank The Goddess of War Athena and Lady Crack for their awesome reviews, you guys make me wanna keep on with the story. I would also like to thank SasuHina4evr, Ms. RomanceFan, fujingodofwind, Kamoki-Hygerioshi, Hunny's Little Bun-Bun, Ayame0217, and XxXTsumetai-chanXxX for showing their support. And last but not least, shikamarulover4ever who was the first to review! Yay! Now that that's off my chest let's get on with the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto. If I did the kunoichi would be in the spotlight a whole lot more than they are now and they would totally kick ass! Much like the male counterparts... I feel they deserve more airtime and more jutsu.

_**Rating:**_ **T **for this chapter.

Title for the chapter courtesy of Trivium.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Washing Away Me In The Tides<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

"_One day this will all be yours, Hinata."_

_W-w-what did he say? He c-couldn't have m-meant what I-I think he did? D-did he? _She thought as she turned to look at him. His face was serious, and he was looking up at the beautiful night sky above them.

As if feeling her gaze on him, he turned to look at her. She analyzed him trying to find something that told her that it was a joke, _i__t must be_, but she found nothing. He was serious and he meant it.

As he saw the gravity of his confession hit her, he gave her a smile and reached out to hold her hand. That single act seemed to comfort her. He saw a smile light up her face and her lavender eyes seemed to glow at that moment. He realized that that was how things should be; he knew he would never find anybody like his dear new friend. She was one of a kind.

They were broken away from each other when somebody cleared their throat. Their small heads instantly jerked in the direction of the intruder, they hadn't even heard him approach.

"How long have you been standing there aniki?" Sasuke asked Itachi, failing miserably at concealing the annoyance at his interruption.

He paused, debating if he should tell him he had heard everything. He thought better of it and only smirked, "Long enough Sasuke. Okā-san asked me to come find you. Otō-san and Hiashi-sama are finished with their business for the day and Hinata needs to go home."

Frowning at the fact that Hinata had to leave, Sasuke stood up and offered a hand to her.

"Okā-san is not going to be happy when she sees the two of you." He warned when he saw the state they were in. "What did you do, roll around on the ground?"

Looking down at himself then at Hinata, he saw the dirt caked on their clothes. He held back a giggle and responded, "Something like that..."

Itachi shook his head and held on to Hinata's left hand. He softly pulled her towards the direction of the house and started walking. Sasuke not wanting to be left behind, ran to catch up with them and held on to her right hand.

They walked hand in hand back to the house in comfortable silence. It was dark already, but the maple path they were on was not pitch black despite the fact it was not lighted. She could see the lights from the village coming from the other side of the lake, and it gave the path a slight glow making it even more wonderful at night. Once they reached the end of the path, she saw two stone lanterns, one on each side, which she hadn't seen the first time through. They were partly covered by the greenery so they illuminated the stone steps back to the garden just enough as to not trip over them.

The garden was even more captivating at night. The stone steps were lighted, though she couldn't tell with what, and it made the azaleas' dark pink stand out more amongst the green surrounding them. In the distance she could hear the soothing _doink_ of the shishi odoshi. The stone lanterns, now turned on, lit the garden and made it glow, giving it an enchanting atmosphere.

She turned to her right to look at Sasuke, who squeezed her hand and smile at her. She then turned to her left and looked up at Itachi who did the same thing. She smiled for she felt very fortunate to have both of the Uchiha be so nice to her. They had both let her into their lives and it was something she would always cherish.

They crossed the bridge and were soon making their way into the house. Inside she could hear the soft muffled voice of Mikoto coming from somewhere inside the house. Then she heard another voice she recognized as her father's. When they reached the living room she felt three gazes turn in their direction. Mikoto was the first one she saw.

She all but ran in her direction. "Mikoto-san!" She exclaimed as said woman knelt down and hugged her.

Mikoto was glad they were back, Hinata and Sasuke had been gone almost all afternoon. She was a bit sad though that she was leaving. She slowly pulled the girl away to get a good look at her. When she saw her dirtied kimono and her hair was a mess, she frowned. "Hinata, what did you do to your kimono? Were you rolling around on the ground?" She said as she tried to shake off the caked dirt from her kimono and got a few blades of grass out of her hair. "Sasuke...?" She looked towards him waiting for an explanation.

Sasuke flinched at her scrutinizing gaze and turned to look at Itachi for help. His older brother gave him none and only gave him a look as if to say _I told you_, smirked and looked away. He made the mistake of looking at his father and an even bigger one when he looked at Hiashi.

"W-well... you see... w-we..." he tried to say.

"We were playing and I fell Mikoto-san, it wasn't his fault." To everyone's surprise she didn't stutter. She was slowly but surely losing it because of her interaction with the Uchiha.

"Well, she is... a bit... clumsy," Hiashi interjected as all four Uchiha looked at him wide eyed. Hinata merely nodded her head as she turned pink.

"Hopefully we can fix that along with her stutter," Mikoto said as she tried to smooth out Hinata's hair. The girl smiled brightly at her and nodded her head enthusiastically, they were still holding on to each other. "You do realize though that your stutter has slowly lessened since you've been here." She stated with pride.

Hinata hadn't noticed so she turned to look at Sasuke and Itachi, who nodded in agreement.

"It appears that having her come here will be beneficial in the long run," Hiashi said.

"Hiashi-sama since we're on that subject there's something that I'd like to propose to you," Mikoto said taking both Hiashi and Fugaku by surprise. "Since you and Fugaku are going to be spending a lot of time together now dealing with clan business, I was wondering what you would say to allowing me to look after Hinata and Hanabi on a daily basis."

Both clan heads were taken aback by her request and upon seeing their shock she continued. "I know they both have their caretaker, but I think that they wouldn't be taken care of better than here. I have already become attached to Hinata in just this one day I've had the pleasure of having her, and would love to care for her and Hanabi. I also promised my dear friend I would look after her daughters." She said as a shadow crossed her features.

Realization dawned on the two adult males and they turned to look at each other.

"What is your opinion on the matter Fugaku-san?" Hiashi addressed the Uchiha.

Fugaku looked at his wife and saw the hope in her eyes. He couldn't refuse her. "I know how much Mikoto always wanted a daughter but we were only blessed with sons. It would be a blessing to her, since she'll gain two daughters. We have plenty of rooms in the house and they will each have one if it is ever needed. I would love to make my wife happy. I would be honored to have your daughters stay in our home."

Hiashi seemed to think for a minute and Mikoto was becoming nervous, she was afraid he'd say no. "It's settled then. I, their caretaker, or a member of the branch family will bring them on a daily basis." Mikoto and Hinata hugged each other at the news. "Are you sure you wanna go through with this Mikoto-san? Hinata is a calm and peaceful child, but Hanabi... well let's just say she's a handful."

"Hai, Hiashi-sama. I would love nothing more than to have them both."

Hinata let go of Mikoto, ran to her father and hugged his legs. Hiashi was taken by surprise at her reaction. "Arigato, otō-san!" With that his expression warmed and he stroked the top of her head as he smiled. He couldn't deny anything to his little Hime.

Mikoto was surprised at the change in his usually stoic expression, the Hyūga was actually showing emotion something she only saw him do when Hikari was still alive. Hinata, she realized for the umpteenth time today, had the power to touch the lives of everyone around her.

"Hinata we have to go home. Fugaku and I have more business to deal with early tomorrow. Say goodnight to the Uchiha." He gently pulled her away from him and turned her in their direction.

She walked over to Mikoto and hugged her. "Oyasumi Mikoto-san, I'll be back tomorrow morning."

Mikoto hugged her back tightly and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Oyasumi Hina, I'll be waiting for you."

She pulled away and walked over to Itachi. "Oyasumi Itachi-kun." She said as she hugged him. Itachi growing accustomed to her displays of affection just hugged her back.

She saw Sasuke somewhat hiding behind Itachi. She reached for his hand and lightly pulled him towards her. As she hugged him she said, "Oyasumi Sasuke-kun. Thank you for everything." Not wanting to, she pulled away.

She approached Fugaku and took him by surprise when she hugged his legs. "Arigato_,_ Fugaku-sama for letting me be a part of your family." She said as tears spilled from her eyes.

Fugaku knelt down and grabbed her small shoulders. "No Hinata, thank _you_ for filling my home with joy." He said as he hugged her.

Mikoto started to cry silently too and she felt her sons hug her. Hinata pulled away and walked towards her father who held an outstretched hand towards her. The Uchiha walked them to the door, and Hiashi nodded his head in farewell. Hinata waved goodbye.

The door closed behind them and Mikoto felt the heaviness of Hinata's absence. Fugaku turned towards her and embraced her, letting her cry. After a moment, Mikoto looked up at her husband.

"Arigato Fugaku, you don't know how much this means to me."

He brushed his fingers through her hair, and gently pulled her away from him. "It's because I do know, that I couldn't say no." He saw her eyes widen slightly and he leaned his head down to kiss her. He still loved her profoundly, after all the years they had been together he still loved her as much as he did in the beginning. She was the love of his life.

When he saw Sasuke and Hinata together that night, he saw something... he wasn't quite sure what. His son hated girls but he seemed quite fond of the Hyūga heiress. He hoped for the sake of his son and Hinata that the clans could come to peace. He was worried for them, but he knew that the two Hyūga becoming so close to his family could help aid the process. He really hoped so.

He broke away from the kiss, both needing to catch their breath. He was glad his sons had gone off to bed already and had not seen their display. He started to walk towards the bedroom leading Mikoto by her hand. He loved her so much, and he wanted to show her.

"Come, love, let's go to bed."

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hinata and Hiashi had almost reached the Hyūga estate. He had carried her home, after he saw her lavender eyes start to droop from exhaustion almost as soon as the door to the Uchiha home had closed behind them. She was asleep by the time they reached the gates, and they were let in and greeted by members of the branch family.

He walked inside the house and he was greeted by silence. It was almost midnight he realized, and everybody must have been asleep. Before he made it to Hinata's room he stopped at Hanabi's door, opened it and saw that she was asleep. He closed it quietly and continued his way towards Hinata's room. Once inside he walked towards her bed and gently put her down and tucked her in.

She was still in her dirtied kimono, but he didn't wanna risk waking her up by changing her into her pajamas. He brushed a few stray strands from her hair and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Hime." He said, laced with affection. He walked out and gently closed the door behind him.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hinata awoke when the sunlight hit her. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and saw that she was in her room. She thought back to the events of the previous night but could not remember getting home. _I must have fallen asleep on the way home_, she concluded.

"Ohayō, Hinata-chan." Greeted a familiar voice.

She turned towards the direction of the voice and saw that it was her beloved caretaker. "Ohayō, Hiroko-san." She replied as she sat up.

"You're such a light sleeper, I wasn't gonna wake you up yet. Hiashi-sama told me to get your clothes and your bath ready since you were pretty dirty from yesterday. You'll eat breakfast and I'm to take you and Hanabi to the Uchiha compound when we're done." Hiroko continued to work as she informed Hinata of the tasks for the day.

Hiroko pulled the covers away from Hinata and helped her off from the bed. "My, my Hiashi-sama wasn't kidding about you being dirty." Feeling self-conscious Hinata blushed and poked her fingers together. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now. Come little one, into the shower. I have to wake up Hanabi, too."

Hiroko gently pushed her to the bathroom. She was not only Hinata's caretaker but her aunt as well, her mother's younger sister. After Hikari had passed away Hiroko was devastated. They had lost their parents when Hiashi and Hikari were just newlyweds and they took the young Hiroko in. Hiashi knew how much they had loved each other and did not want Hiroko to suffer through the loss alone, the three of them were the only family she had left. So Hiroko had slowly taken the task of caring for Hinata and Hanabi. She was their caretaker, as she liked to call herself. Their keeper...

It was painful at times when Hiroko would look at Hinata, she reminded her so much of her sister. Hiroko did not look like the rest of the Hyūga as well, much like Hikari and Hinata. Instead of the dark brown tresses, she had pitch black hair with a hint of blue if the light hit it just right. She also had the pupil less eyes, and hers were white with flecks of silver not lavender like her older sister's. She was petite but had a toned and slim body due to her training daily for years now. Hiroko was only twelve years old but had to mature at a very young age.

Hiroko entered the bathroom after Hinata. Her bathroom was fairly large and its walls were in neutral tones. The bathtub was in the middle, it was squared and quite large for it had three steps that led up to it, but it was not too deep. Around it were scented candles that served to relax her. On the right side against the wall was a vanity where the essential oils and towels were kept. Hiroko walked towards it and grabbed the lavender oil to pour into the bathtub. She covered the bottle and placed it on the edge of the tub. She knelt down towards Hinata and started taking off her kimono. Once she was done she helped her get inside the tub. She walked to the vanity once more to put the bottle of oil away and pulled a towel from one of the drawers and placed it on the edge of the bathtub within Hinata's reach.

"Call me if you need anything Hinata-chan, I have to get Hanabi-chan ready as well." With that said she rushed out of her room.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They ate breakfast together in the kitchen and in silence, they ate cereal since Hiroko didn't have time for anything elaborate. She still had to drop off the girls at the Uchiha compound and then she had to report to the Hokage's office for her first mission, she had just graduated from the academy and passed her entrance exam. They all finished their breakfast and Hiroko cleaned up, then she helped both girls off of the chairs. She looked at them and thought she outdid herself. Hinata wore a cream colored kimono with maroon and pink flowers on it and a maroon obi. Hanabi wore a golden yellow kimono that had the same pattern as Hinata's as well as the maroon obi. They looked really cute and she loved it when she dressed them alike.

They walked to the Uchiha compound and Hiroko could feel the gazes of the clan members as they walked down the streets.

"_Hyūgas_, what are they doing here?" She heard somebody whisper and she detected the poison seeping from the question.

She didn't dare make eye contact with any of them. She didn't hate them, but she knew their clans had been rivals for years and she didn't want to do anything that could spark that hatred. She continued to her destination, carrying Hanabi with her right arm and holding Hinata's hand with her left.

When they finally reached their destination she left relieved. She had never wanted to get somewhere so badly in her life, yet she wondered what her way back alone would be like. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Within seconds she heard the door being opened and she saw dark gray eyes meet her white silver. The older woman was relieved to see them at her door.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Uchiha-sama." She greeted and bowed her head. She didn't know much about the woman standing in front of her, all she knew was that she was the wife of the clan head so she had better show some respect.

"Ohayō gozaimasu..." she paused waiting for her to offer her name.

"Hiroko, Uchiha-sama I'm the girls' aunt and caretaker." She offered.

"Ah, Hiroko you are Hikari's little sister." The young girl's eyes widened. "She was my best friend. You and I met many years ago but you were too young to remember. It's a pleasure to see you again after all these years." She said as she slightly bowed her head. "Oh, and you can call Mikoto, Uchiha-sama makes me feel old!"

Hiroko blinked in response. She never thought her dear sister's best friend would have been an Uchiha. Yet it didn't surprise her since she was so kind to everyone she met, and wanted nothing more for there to be peace between the clans.

"Hai, Mikoto-san. Ano... I brought Hanabi and Hinata over since Hiashi-sama was out at dawn."

Hinata threw herself at Mikoto and hugged her. "Ohayō gozaimasu_,_ Mikoto-san!"

"Ohayō_,_ Hinata." She replied hugging her back. She looked at the small girl Hiroko held in her arms. "This must be Hanabi-chan." She reached out to her and took her in her arms. She looked like Hinata, she noticed, but she resembled the Hyūga a bit more than she did. Her hair was longer than Hinata's and it barely reached her shoulders. It was a dark shade of golden brown and her eyes were white with flecks of silver, to her surprise, just like Hiroko's. She was incredibly cute, they both were in their own way. "Ohayō, Hanabi-chan."

The toddler looked at her with wide eyes. "Habi-chan?" She questioned.

Mikoto chuckled at her. "No, Hanabi-chan." She corrected.

"She's still learning how to speak properly, Mikoto-san." Hiroko informed the Uchiha.

"I see. How old is she Hiroko-san?"

"She's almost two years old Mikoto-san."

"Well, she'll be learning how to speak in no time around here!" She said as she tickled the toddler's stomach.

"Habi-chan!" Exclaimed the toddler in between giggles.

"Mikoto-san I must go. I have to report to the Hokage for my first mission and I shouldn't keep him waiting." Hiroko said after realizing she had lingered for far too long. She wanted to stay though, and ask Mikoto questions. She wanted to know things about her sister, wanted to get to know her through the Uchiha. "Mikoto-san..." She said after a few seconds. "Can I come visit you some time? To ask you questions about... my sister?" She finally looked up and met her gaze. She was afraid of what her answer might be.

"Hai, Hiroko-san you can stop by at any time. Your family is always welcome here. There's a lot of things you would love to know about Hikari. She was the noblest person I ever met." She had a far away look in her eyes as if remembering something from long ago.

"Arigato_,_ Mikoto-san." She bowed her head in appreciation. "I really have to go now though." Hiroko knelt down to Hinata and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then leaned in to Hanabi and did the same, earning a small giggle from the girl.

"Be careful, Hiroko-san! Have a safe and successful mission!" Mikoto called out to the young girl, who had already walked off and waved in response. The three of them watched her walk away until they couldn't see her anymore, then they went inside the house.

Mikoto helped Hinata and Hanabi take off their sandals and placed them to the side by the door. Hinata found some slippers that were her size and slipped them on, but Mikoto didn't have any that fit Hanabi. _I have to buy some that are her size, _she thought. After making the mental note she asked the heiress, "What do you want to do today, Hina?" They were currently walking towards the kitchen.

"Ano... I d-don't know Mikoto-san? What do you want t-to do?" She was tapping her index finger on her chin as if she was deeply considering what to do.

Mikoto noticed Hinata didn't stutter nearly as much as before and didn't want to bring it up for fear of it coming back worse. "What do you like to do the most?"

"I-I like flower p-pressing, Mikoto-san."

"What do you say we go and get some flowers from the garden and prepare them so we can use them later for flower pressing?"

Hinata's face lit up instantly. "Hai!"

They walked towards the garden and once outside she turned to the potting table next to the door, pulled open the drawer and pulled out two pruning shears, handing one over to Hinata. Mikoto walked down the steps and turned around to sit Hanabi on them. "Hanabi, stay here okay?"

Hanabi nodded her head once, " 'Kay!"

Mikoto turned around and saw that Hinata had already run off; she was currently picking some iris on the other side of the pond. Mikoto stood in front of the bridge, not wanting to walk too far away from Hanabi for fear of her getting hurt. She saw Hinata approach the flowers surrounding one of the pine trees.

"What are these Mikoto-san, they're so pretty!"

"Those are crocus, Hina! You can get those too!"

Without a second thought Hinata picked a few. When she stood up a big pink flower caught her eye, and as she reached it she saw that it was bigger than both her hands. "What are these? These are my favorite!"

Mikoto couldn't see where she was, so she picked up Hanabi and walked towards her. "Those are my favorite too; they're called peony."

Hinata pulled one of the flowers down to smell it, they were pretty tall. "They smell lovely..."

Hanabi reached forward, trying to smell them too. "You want to smell one, Hanabi?" Mikoto plucked one and handed it to the toddler.

She buried her nose in the bloom and inhaled deeply. "Yummy!" Hinata and Mikoto laughed at her choice of word.

"Actually, let's pick some extra so I can set them in a vase at the table. I do this every year until their blooming season ends. Fugaku and the boys don't want to admit it but they enjoy their fragrance as much as I do, they have come to expect this of me every year." She set Hanabi down and cut several to make her arrangement. After she was done she picked her up again. Hinata cut two for her flower pressing.

"Let's head back inside to make lunch, the boys should be arriving soon."

They started to walk towards the bridge but Hinata saw the bright pink blooms of the azaleas and ran to go get some. When she finished she saw that Mikoto and Hanabi were almost through the door and she ran to catch up.

Mikoto set Hanabi down and started to walk towards the kitchen with the peonies in hand. Hinata followed her and Hanabi feeling a little lost followed her big sister. Inside the kitchen, Mikoto grabbed a vase from one of the cabinets, filled it halfway with water and placed the peonies inside. She placed it on the table and arranged them. Once she was satisfied, she walked towards Hinata with an outstretched hand.

"Can I have the flowers, Hina? I'll go place them in between some books so they can dry." Hinata did as she was told and Mikoto walked away.

Hinata reflected on the past two days. So much had happened in such a short amount of time that it still hadn't fully sunk in. She had befriended the Uchiha, a feat that would have never crossed her mind. Sasuke was her best friend and she knew they would always be together somehow. Itachi would become almost like a brother to her with time. She had met her mother's best friend, and although her real mother had passed away, she knew Mikoto had been sent to fill that emptiness in their lives. She felt blessed.

Mikoto walked back to the kitchen and smiled at Hinata. "All done, we should check on them in a few days." She pulled a chair towards the sink and motioned for Hinata to hop on. They both washed their hands and started to prepare lunch.

While Mikoto and Hinata made lunch, Hanabi ran around the kitchen with the peony still in hand. She would occasionally smell the flower and exclaim, "Yummy!" She had finished her exploration of the kitchen and then continued to run around the rest of the house.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Itachi walked home deep in thought. Sasuke noticed and he gratefully did not try to strike up conversation. Training had gone well as usual but his mind hadn't been in it. If he didn't train so much on a daily basis, Sasuke might have noticed that his aim was off a bit today, but to his little brother he was always perfect. Something bothered him but he didn't know what. Perhaps it had to do with the Hyūga heiress. He thought she was easy on the eyes and had been instantly drawn to her, but saw that his brother had been as well. Hinata had connected with Sasuke, not him.

He was certain of their bond when he had sneaked up on them by the lake and Sasuke had confessed to her. _"__One day this will all be yours, Hinata."_ With that he had sealed their fates. However innocent his statement was meant to have been, he had practically confessed his growing affection for her. Not that either one of them knew what that feeling was, yet. She would have agreed in that instant if it hadn't been for him interrupting them.

He didn't feel as close to her as Sasuke did, but he felt _something_ for her and he wanted to find out what. He was actually _jealous_ of his little brother; it is such an ugly feeling. He was the prodigy, he was the strongest of the two brothers and was the first to accomplish _everything_, but not this time. He wouldn't come between them... no... he loved his brother more than anybody and would do anything for him, but he had accomplished the impossible. He had formed a love bond with a girl– and not just any girl– but the Hyūga heiress and she was like no other girl they had encountered before. She was compassionate, quiet and kind. She didn't talk much and that's what they both loved about her. She had porcelain skin and those beautiful lavender eyes. Now that he thought about it she smelled like lavender, it was very soft and soothing just like everything about her.

He would not interfere. He had sworn at a very young age to protect Sasuke... _always_. He couldn't remember when he made that promise, his mind for some reason wouldn't let him, and he knew that there had to be a reason for his mind to do so and he didn't dwell on it. All he knew was that he had made a pledge to his baby brother.

He would observe from the sidelines and watch over them. Yes... that's what he would do... look over two of the most important people in his life. How had she done it? How had she won them all over almost instantly? The more he thought about it the more confused he was. It shouldn't matter. It didn't matter. She just had.

He hoped one day he could accomplish the impossible, just like Sasuke had, and form such a bond.

They finally reached their home and Itachi hesitated at the door. He knew she would be there. He opened it and started to walk in but almost tripped over something in his way. When he regained his balance and saw what he had tripped over he almost didn't believe his eyes.

It was a breathtaking child of about two years old. She was a Hyūga, he realized instantly, for she had the white almost pupil less eyes of the clan, they were white but had a hint of silver flecks in them. He was fascinated by her eyes, he had never seen anything like them. She had shoulder length, dark golden brown hair and her skin had a light tan. She held a large peony in her small hands and she held it up towards him. He couldn't help himself and lifted her into his arms.

"Who might you be little one?" He asked as he looked into her eyes and stroked her hair. It was silky, just like he'd thought it would be.

She smiled at him and caressed his cheek with her free hand. "Habi-chan."

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** There it is! I did it! I did the chapter in one day! I have posted the previous two chapters on a Monday and did not want to break my streak by updating later so there you have it. Hope you like it. I think Itachi deserves some lovin' too! Well, let me know what you think. The next chapter will be up soon. I can't wait to get the whole story out and I hope you love it as much as I do. Thank you and I hope you keep reading my updates._

**-_Wyvern_**


	4. Sleeping Sun

**A/N: **Okay so first things, I wanted to apologize to those of you who have been following my story for not updating in my usual time frame. I got sick, I actually did and I had a real bad cold for about a week but I still haven't been able to get completely over it making it a total of three weeks. I hate it, it's so persistent! I rarely get sick especially not during the winter, well if you could call our "winter" down here that. Our climate is the equivalent to it being summer all year long and cold fronts during the winter months. I can't even remember if it was cold on Christmas last year now that I think about it, probably not... Anyway, I just wanted to make something clear about Itachi's and Hanabi's relationship. It will not be anything bad, it's gonna be sweet and innocent... for now. So hopefully you won't get turned away by it. I love the Hyūga and Uchiha clans and I wished we would get to see more of them in the anime. Sadly we can't see more of the Uchiha though, can we? I'm kind of disappointed that we only get to see Hanabi once in Naruto and a couple more times during flashbacks but I don't remember seeing her at all in Shippuden. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway please read on and enjoy!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto

**Rating:** _**M**_

Title for this chapter courtesy of Nightwish.

**Last updated: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sleeping Sun<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

Itachi held the small Hyūga in his arms, she was the cutest little girl he had ever seen. "Habi-chan?" He asked as he continued to look into those dazzling eyes of hers and held the peony she had offered him. She gave him a bright smile and nodded. "Oh, you must be Hinata's little sister, Hanabi." He stated when his memory allowed him to remember something about Hinata having a little sister named Hanabi. _That's right, okā-san wanted to care for both of them. _He thought when he remembered his mother's request to Hiashi.

"Nata?" Hanabi asked tilting her head to the side.

Itachi thought she looked too cute and chuckled at her reaction. "Yes, your sister Hinata."

At the mention of Hinata, Sasuke slightly pushed Itachi forward and walked inside, as he was blocking the door. "Hinata's little sister? She's here already?" Sasuke saw Itachi carrying said girl. When she looked at him his eyes widened when silver met onyx. "Wow! Her eyes are so cool!" He examined her appearance; the white-silver of her eyes, the dark golden brown hair and tan skin. "She doesn't look like Hinata though." He said stating the obvious.

They both looked up when they heard someone running in their direction. Soon enough they saw Hinata with a worried and flushed look on her face.

"Hanabi-chan, we were so worried about you! We couldn't find you anywhere in the house!" She said while trying to catch her breath.

"Hi, Hina!" Sasuke greeted her, tossing his shoes off to the side. He put on his slippers and walked towards her. "She's alright though, Itachi got to her before she could get out of the house."

Itachi did the same as Sasuke, he took off his shoes and put on his slippers while still carrying Hanabi. "I opened the door and tripped over her, she was already at the door. If we hadn't come home when we did, well... let's just be glad we got here when we did." Itachi smiled at Hanabi.

Hinata stretched her arms towards Hanabi, trying to get her sister from Itachi. Hanabi shook her head vigorously from side to side. "Nata, no!" She exclaimed wrapping her small arms around Itachi's neck.

Hinata was hurt at her reaction. "Hanabi..."

"It's okay Hinata, I don't mind." Itachi told her.

Hanabi lit up instantly and hugged him. "I don't understand her. She's not comfortable around people she just meets, she especially doesn't let anybody carry her unless she's known them for a while." Hinata mused, her voice just above a whisper, she had been thinking out loud without realizing it.

Itachi heard her and turned to look at Hanabi. _Very strange indeed, little one._

They all walked to the kitchen, the smell of the home-cooked meal had permeated the house. When Mikoto came into view, Itachi noticed her disheveled appearance.

"Hanabi-chan, don't scare us like that! We were so worried!" She walked towards her eldest and tried to take Hanabi from him. Once again she refused to go with anybody other than the Uchiha that currently held her. Upon seeing her reaction Mikoto smiled. "I see she has taken a liking to you, Itachi."

Itachi didn't know what to say. To everyone's surprise he blushed, earning him a squeeze on his cheeks by Hanabi and everyone laughed at them. Itachi only turned a deeper scarlet.

"Alright, alright let's eat lunch before it gets cold." Mikoto stated, trying to take the attention away from Itachi, who send a grateful look her way. She started to take the food to the dining room. Itachi placed the pink peony on the table and then set Hanabi down. She looked up at him and gave him a questioning look.

"Come on Hanabi-chan, let's go eat." He started to walk away, but Hanabi held on to his hand. He sighed, realizing that she did not want to stray away from him. She squeezed his hand with both of her small ones, and looked up at him. He gave her a gentle smile,_ you may not look like Hinata, but you're just like her in a way. You've already started to win me over... _He walked to the dining room with Hanabi in tow.

When they reached the dining room, Mikoto, Sasuke, and Hinata were already sitting in their places waiting for them to start eating. He noticed Hanabi's place was next to Hinata, so he helped her sit down. He started to walk towards his, but Hanabi once again reached out to him and looked at him with pleading eyes. The other three sitting at the table tried to hold back a laugh unsuccessfully, and Itachi glared at them. He reached down, took her plate and placed it between his and Sasuke's. He then walked to Hanabi, helped her up, then helped her into her place between them. Hanabi was satisfied, she looked at Itachi and smiled from ear to ear. He was putty in her hands – he knew – yet he couldn't help but smile at her.

Mikoto looked at her sons and her two daughters, which is what she saw the two Hyūgas as. _They truly are a blessing sent to us. Arigato Hikari._ She thought as her eyes teared up a bit. They continued the rest of their lunch in cheerful banter.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They all spend the rest of the afternoon in the garden, Mikoto sat underneath a tree watching the children play and run around. Hinata and Sasuke opted for lying down on the grass underneath a tree and talking, but she would constantly see poor Itachi run after a flash of golden yellow. When they had first walked outside, Hanabi had almost taken a dive in the pond when she saw the koi for the first time. If it hadn't been for Itachi's quick reflexes, she would've fallen right in.

"Hanabi-chan, slow down," Itachi called after the toddler in the golden yellow kimono.

"Habi-chan, Habi-chan!" and a giggle was all that could be heard from her.

Mikoto could not stop laughing at their antics. She hoped that she would always be able to see the children like this, caring and looking out for one another. She was glad that Hiashi had entrusted her with the care of both his daughters. Sasuke and Hinata had already formed a special bond, that she could see, but she felt her Itachi had been left out and when they'd get older it would cause problems between them. Since the appearance of Hanabi, she could see a special connection starting to form between them, the girl had not wanted to leave Itachi's side since she met him. They were young, this she knew but there was only a five year difference between them, the same difference between her and Fugaku's age. With time she hoped their bond would grow into something greater.

Itachi was finally able to catch Hanabi, he picked her up and spun her around. "Are you gonna stop running now, Hanabi-chan? I can't keep up with you." Itachi told her jokingly.

Hanabi laughed while being spun around by Itachi. "Stop! Stop!" She said in response. Itachi stopped his torture and slowly put her down on the ground. Hanabi, still dizzy, wobbled from side to side before she fell on the ground sitting down.

"Gomen, Hanabi-chan." Itachi apologized with a worried look on his face. He thought she was gonna cry but was actually surprised when all she did was laugh some more. She gladly accepted Itachi's arms when he helped her up.

He almost instantly put his guard up when he heard somebody walking towards them. They all turned in the direction of the intruder. He noticed immediately the young girl was a Hyūga.

"Gomen, Mikoto-san. I knocked on the door for a while, but nobody answered. The door was open so I came in, I hope you don't mind. Hiashi-sama sent me to pick up the girls." She said apologizing to the Uchiha.

Mikoto stood up and walked towards her. "Oh no, not at all! I already told you that you are welcome here any time you like." She said holding on to her arm and slowly pulling her forward. "I'd like you to meet my sons, Itachi and Sasuke." At the mention of their names they each walked forward. "Boys this is Hiroko-san, the girls' aunt." All three bowed their heads in greeting.

Itachi noticed her eyes were similar to Hanabi's and her hair was jet black. He turned to look at Hanabi still content in his arms. "You hear that Hanabi-chan, she's here to take you home." Understanding what he meant, she pouted.

Sasuke and Hinata said their goodbyes as well. Hinata hugged Sasuke and gave him a kiss on the cheek making them both blush. She went to Itachi, who was still holding Hanabi, and said "See you tomorrow, Itachi-kun." She then ran towards Mikoto and gave her a hug and a kiss as well.

Hiroko walked up to Itachi and Hanabi and tried to take her from him. Hanabi turned away from her and wrapped her arms around his neck in protest. "Hanabi-chan, you have to go with Hiroko-san. I'm very sorry but you can't stay with us." He gently pulled her away from him, she had seen what Hinata did earlier and mimicked her. To everyone's surprise she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and the one that was more affected by it was Itachi. Snapping out of her shock, Hiroko took Hanabi and walked away. Itachi stared after them dumbfounded.

"Oyasumi, Mikoto-san. I'll bring them back tomorrow in the morning." Hiroko assured Mikoto.

"Hai, Hiroko-san be careful on your way home." The girl only nodded.

The three Hyūgas left and his mother and brother went inside, leaving Itachi alone with his thoughts. _Oyasumi, my little sun._

Once inside, on the dining table he found the peony Hanabi had given him and picked it up. He went to a cupboard, got a glass, poured some water in and placed the peony inside. He then went to his room and placed the glass on his shelf. That night was the first time he dreamt of a certain girl with white-silver eyes and dark golden brown hair.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They all soon fell into a routine. Hiroko would get up every morning and get the girls ready. She would then make breakfast and head over to the Uchiha compound to drop them off. From there she would either report to the Hokage for her mission or train.

During this time, Mikoto and Fugaku became more attached to Hanabi and Hinata and saw them like their own daughters. Sasuke and Hinata became even closer, as well as Itachi and Hanabi. They would often be seen walking around the Uchiha compound accompanied by Mikoto, however, the clan still did not accept the Hyūgas, the years of hatred would not be easy to erase.

Soon, Fugaku and Hiashi began to stay out on clan business later every night to the point where Mikoto and the boys were already asleep by the time Fugaku came home. Hiroko also began to be assigned more missions; her team, composed of a member from the Aburame and Inuzuka clans, had started to earn a reputation for themselves.

The first C ranked mission they had, required them to escort a merchant to the Land of Water and would take them several days to complete. The team was given an hour to get their things ready and meet at the gate for their departure. Hiroko rushed home to gather her things and prepared some bento boxes for the trip. On her way out, she heard someone training in the training room. She stopped to look in and saw that it was Hinata's and Hanabi's cousin Neji. _Poor Neji-kun, all he does is train. He still hasn't mourned the loss of his father properly, it's not healthy for someone his age._ She stood there for a few minutes and watched the five year old train with a new-found admiration.

The death of his father Hizashi, Hiashi's twin brother, had rocked the Hyūga clan to the core. The circumstances under which it all happened had enraged the clan and if things had not been handled the way they had been, it could have possibly led to a war between Konohagakure and Kumogakure. It had only happened a year ago on Hinata's third birthday, when a treaty was to be signed between the two villages. A Head Ninja from Kumo had taken advantage of his trip to the hidden village and attempted to kidnap Hinata in order to acquire the Byakugan. Hiashi in an attempt to save his daughter killed the Head Ninja, and Kumo demanded repayment from Konoha for his death. They refused any involvement in the kidnapping and demanded the body of Hiashi in return. In the end, Hizashi's body was given instead; his being a member of the Branch family and possessing the Caged Bird Seal would in fact serve its purpose and seal the Byakugan within him upon his death. The fact was that things hadn't been the same since Hizashi's sacrifice, the Council wanted to reinforce the purpose of the seal on members of the Branch family while Hiashi argued against it. Neji would never be the same. He had once been real close to both of his cousins, but she could see how everyday that passed he became more withdrawn and distant towards them. The fact that Hinata and Hanabi were spending so much time with the Uchiha didn't help their already strained relationship.

She saw Neji had stopped his training and was trying to catch his breath. He slowly touched his forehead and frowned. He had wrapped a white headband around his forehead in an attempt to hide it, but it didn't change the fact that it was still there, the seal. She saw his anger and frustration at his situation, and when he was about to resume his training with a renewed determination she decided to step in.

"Neji-kun!" She said stepping into his view.

"Hiroko-san," he replied as he bowed in greeting once he realized who had interrupted him.

"I have been assigned a mission by the Hokage and will be gone for a few days. Hinata-chan and Hanabi-chan are at the Uchiha compound, I'm on my way to inform Mikoto-san of the situation. Could you please inform Hiashi-sama for me in morning? He will be out until very late again today, the girls may even have to spend the night at the compound tonight; Mikoto-san will not like it if they're out late at night." She saw that Neji had yet to look up at her.

"Hai, Hiroko-san I will inform Hiashi-sama. Have a safe trip and successful mission." He was still looking down at the floor.

"Arigato, Neji-kun." She was about to turn and be on her way when she thought better of it and closed the distance between the two. She knelt down to his level and made him look at her. Once she had his attention she gave him a warm smile. She embraced him and whispered in his ear, "Everything will work out in the end, Neji." She gave him a kiss on his forehead, right where the seal was placed, and walked away. She didn't see him break down for the first time since his father's death.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hiroko had made her way to the Uchiha compound and was standing in front of the Uchiha's door. She had knocked and was thinking about Neji, when someone came to the door.

"Hiroko-chan!" Mikoto greeted her with an enthusiastic embrace that lifted her feet several inches off the ground.

"Mikoto-san, it's nice to see you, too." She managed to get out, she was having a hard time breathing.

Mikoto let go of her and gave her a puzzled look. "Hiroko-chan, is something the matter? It's too early for you to be picking up Hanabi and Hinata."

Hiroko shook her head, "I just came to inform you that I have been assigned my first C rank mission and my team and I will be gone for several days. I will not be able to pick up the girls and take them home like I usually do, and Hiashi-sama and Fugaku-sama will be staying out late again tonight. I was thinking that maybe, with your approval of course, you'd want to ask Hiashi-sama if you can just keep the girls here until I get back from my mission. That way they won't be out so late at night and Hiashi-sama won't have to worry about bringing them over everyday."

Mikoto beamed at the possibility and nodded her head eagerly. "Hai Hiroko-chan, I'm sure the children would love the idea and Hiashi-sama would not have to trouble himself with such things. I'll send a message to him and if he approves, I'll go and pick up some clothes for them to last several days."

"You shouldn't have to trouble yourself with that. I'm sure that if Hiashi-sama approves he will send a Branch member over with their things." She said, already knowing how the clan head thinks. "Well, I should be on my way, it's almost noon. Say bye to them for me and please tell them I'll be back in a few days."

"Take care, Hiroko-chan! Have a safe and successful mission!" Mikoto managed to tell her before she started to run off. She didn't spend as much time with her as she did with Hinata and Hanabi but she already saw her as one of her own._ If only you could see Hiroko now, Hikari. You'd be so proud of the person she's become. _She closed the door behind her and went in search of her best friend's daughters.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

As soon as Hiroko left, Mikoto send a message to Fugaku and Hiashi telling them of the new development, and asking them for their approval on Hanabi and Hinata staying over. Itachi and Sasuke had been home already for lunch, when there was a knock at the door. Hiroko was right, she knew Hiashi too well. Her answer to the suggestion had been a Branch family member at her door with a few of Hinata's and Hanabi's things. When she told the four children they had all been ecstatic about the news, they had all become somewhat inseparable in the past several weeks.

It was late, and just like it had been for several nights already Fugaku still hadn't come home. _Looks like they are spending another late night at the Police Force. _She thought to her self._ I'm glad they both agreed and let the girls stay here. _She walked to the living room and saw that all four children were there. Itachi was getting his things ready for a mission and Hanabi was sitting with her legs crossed looking intently at what he was doing. He had become used to her constant presence since she would go where he would and try to do the things he did. Sasuke and Hinata were laying down on the floor with their heads together talking about things kids talked about, she guessed. A giggle would be heard coming from Hinata every now and again from something Sasuke would say and vice versa. She felt something tug at her heart every time she'd see them like this. _They're the future of our clans, maybe it will all work out... _she could only hope.

"Come on it's time for bed little ones!" She walked towards Hanabi and picked her up, who in turn looked at Itachi and gave him a look that said 'help!' He had already finished packing his things and smiled at her as he walked behind them. Sasuke and Hinata stood up and followed them.

Mikoto had prepared rooms for them during the day, the girls' rooms were next to each other; Hinata's across from Sasuke's and Hanabi's across from Itachi's. Mikoto laid Hanabi down on the bed and tucked her in. She placed a kiss on her forehead and Hinata walked towards her and did the same thing, as she started to walk away Hanabi grabbed her hand. "Nata-chan!" She said while giving her the best puppy eyes she had to offer.

They all turned to look at her at the same time. "You don't wanna sleep alone, Hanabi-chan?" Her big sister asked. The younger of the two shook her head. "Alright then, I'll sleep with you." She lifted the covers and lay down with her. Mikoto walked back and said goodnight to the heiress the same way and retreated to her room for the night. Itachi walked over to them and said goodnight in the same fashion, when he straightened up to walk away he stopped at the sound of something unexpected.

"Tachi-kun?" A small voice asked. He slowly turned to look back at her. She hadn't said his name up until now, and what perfect timing she had picked to say it for the first time. He had already come to know her well, one look and he knew what she wanted and now just the tone of her voice and he knew.

"I can't sleep with you Hanabi-chan, it's not proper." He saw her pout and her eyes began to glisten with tears that threatened to spill. He knew she didn't understand and didn't care for that matter; all that mattered was what she wanted him to stay with them. He realized he wouldn't be able to deny her any requests she would ever have. He felt his will break and he gave in. Itachi took off his slippers and lay down on the bed next to Hanabi, who turned to face him and snuggled closer to him with a smile of satisfaction on her face.

Sasuke looked at the three huddled in the bed together, and felt a little left out. He said goodnight to them and walked away.

"S-Sasuke-kun would you like to j-join us? There's still p-plenty of room for you..." Hinata asked tentatively.

Sasuke smiled warmly at Hinata and nodded, he pulled up the covers and lay down next to her. She turned to face him and held on to his hand. Soon enough they all fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Mikoto awoke before the sun came up, after years she had become used to it as she would make breakfast for Fugaku before he would leave for the Police Force and prepare him a bento for lunch. She made her way to the restroom, brushed her teeth and washed her face. She then headed over to Itachi's room but he wasn't there and his bed was made, _He must have left early for his mission,_ she figured. She then headed over to Sasuke's and saw that he wasn't in his room either and his bed appeared to have not been slept in. _That's odd... he doesn't get up early when Itachi goes on missions._ At this point she was beginning to worry seeing as to how she didn't hear any noise inside the house. Mikoto decided to check in on Hanabi and she was rewarded with a warming sight. There on the bed lay all four of them and she felt a smile tug at her lips. _I should have known Hanabi would not want to part with Itachi. _She felt someone standing behind her and turned to see her husband was already awake.

He looked in the room to see what had caught her attention and couldn't help but smile himself when he saw the four children on the bed. "For everybody's sake I hope we are able to fix things between the clans. It would only cause suffering for them if things didn't work out. They have become too attached to each other." He whispered as he placed a hand on Mikoto's shoulder and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. Mikoto nodded, she really did hope it would.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Itachi slowly awoke from his slumber; he felt something soft and warm on his chest. A familiar soft and warm smell of vanilla filled his senses and he smiled when he realized who it belonged to.

"Ohayō, Hanabi-chan," he greeted the young Hyūga laying next to him.

She did not stir and looked peaceful in her sleep, which could not be said of her when she was awake. She was very different from Hinata– he realized, aside from their physical appearance– while the heiress was very quiet and shy, Hanabi was very outgoing and had so much energy all the time. She always kept them all on their toes; she seemed to surprise them constantly with something she would do or something new she had learned. Even his father had warmed up to her, to both Hyūgas in fact. He slowly got up from the bed, making sure he didn't wake the three sleeping on the bed and got ready before heading off for his mission.

火

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_Okay so I'm not satisfied with this chapter, I'll admit it, but it had to be done for the purpose of __the story. There will be a time skip happening very soon since I can't wait to start with the good stuff. Like I said before these chapters were meant to establish the relationships between Hinata/Sasuke and Hanabi/Itachi as well as the Hyūga's connection with the Uchiha. The next chapter will be out very soon, I'm working on it as soon as I upload this one, since I'm not happy with this one at all. Please review and give me ideas as I feel a little lost at times. I know what I wanna do with the story and what __my main events are gonna happen, it's just the in between and the details that I have a hard time with sometimes. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my chapter!_

_-__**Wyvern**_


	5. Words Don't Mean a Thing

_**A/N:**_ Thank you so much for keeping up with my story, for reviewing, putting my story on alert, for adding me to your favorite authors, and for sending me PMs. You make it that much more encouraging to keep updating. There is a time skip in this chapter of about two years. Alright, so let's review! Hinata and Sasuke are now 6, Itachi is 9, Hanabi is 4, and Hiroko is 14. Now that we're all on the same track let's get on with the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I DO NOT own Naruto or any of the characters… except maybe Hiroko, unless somebody out there came up with the same idea of them having an aunt by the name of Hiroko, I mean… what are the chances of that…? *looks around nervously* Let me not jinx myself…

_**Rating: **_**T**

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Words Don't Mean a Thing<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

Hinata was barely able to block Hiroko's arm as she tried to attack a tenketsu on her left arm. They had been training most of the morning and Hinata was beginning to look worn out. Hinata knew she was no match for her, but she had improved during the past year and a half; the constant training with her and the Uchiha had forced her to since they would not go easy on the young heiress. She didn't want them to either; she expected no less from them. Hiroko was ruthless at times; she refused to let Hinata give up and had high expectations of her. She would one day be head of the clan and would change things for the good of her people. Both the Main and Branch family loved her already, well from what little emotion their cold nature allowed them to display you could tell that they did. Her kind and sweet disposition would win over whoever she'd meet. She was still shy and that would always be a defining characteristic of hers, but she had gotten over her stutter; being around Sasuke and Itachi had helped her immensely.

She was snapped back from her thoughts when Hinata was able to hit a tenketsu on her upper left arm. She smirked at the young heiress. It was rare for Hinata to manage to catch her off guard and actually cause some damage; the eight year difference between them was an advantage she held over Hinata and she was sure to use it in her favor every time. At the rate her Jūken was improving it would not help her for much longer. _Y__ou have certainly come a long way, Hina-chan. You'll be the best leader our clan has seen yet._

They continued their dance, each trying to find an opening in the others' defense. Their Jūken was just that, a dance since it was something so graceful, yet deadly, when being performed by the two. Hiroko had become very popular in the village; one of the most promising and talented kunoichi of her graduating class. She could have graduated early from the academy, at the age of ten, earlier even, but she had decided to stay with her classmates since she had become very attached to them. Her teammates Aburame Hisoka and Inuzuka Hironori, along with his canine companion Takeo— who just by looking at could strike fear in the heart of lesser men and looked like it could kill in one pounce, which it really could, but once you were familiar with you'd soon find out was just as lovesick as its faithful owner— had become as much a part of her family as her nieces. The years they had spend together sharing as much as they had, had not been in vain.

Hinata met Hiroko punch for punch and kick for kick. It truly was amazing how at her age she was able to keep up with the 14 year old at her current level, although Hiroko was holding back and they both knew. It was one of the first things Hiroko had told Hinata when she picked up where Hiashi had left off on her introduction to the basics of their clan's renowned Jūken technique and kekkei genkai, the Byakugan.

"_Never show anybody what you are truly capable of Hina, not even me. You always need to have something up your sleeve, and on the chance that your opponent does see your ultimate technique make sure he does not live to tell it. You have chosen to lead the path of a Konoha shinobi and therefore must be able to take a life if needed. The lives of your loved ones may depend on it." _It was something she had learned along the way and would never forget.

As their hands met, flashes of blue chakra could be clearly seen coming from their palms and whooshing sounds could be heard throughout the compound. Both refused to give in, one not wanting to be beaten by a six year old, and the other not wanting to lose to one older than her. Hinata lifted her left knee and tried to hit Hiroko on her inner thigh, but she saw her intentions ahead of time and countered by lifting her right knee in time. Hinata then tried to get her with her right knee but was blocked yet again by Hiroko's opposite knee. Hiroko aimed for Hinata's right side of her torso and was blocked by Hinata's arms, creating enough force that they were both repelled a few feet away from each other. They stood facing each other off for what seemed ages, but in reality was only a few seconds, panting heavily and trying to catch their breath. Once they were able to fill their oxygen-starved lungs with enough of the precious sustenance, they both stood in the traditional Jūken fighting stance ready to continue. Neither moved an inch, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Hanabi watched them from a distance, entranced by the intensity of the two older Hyūgas' determination. Their sparring could become so intense at times and she only hoped her Jūken could compare to theirs when she was older. Looking at them spar, she could hardly wait for her training to start. Her sister was the heir, and she was becoming stronger every day that passed and she wanted to be just like her. She would sometimes watch Itachi and Sasuke train, so she was picking up a few things here and there; when no one was around she would practice throwing shuriken as she had seen Itachi do many times before. Of course, she couldn't compare herself to him but she still tried her hardest, hoping he would one day be proud of her. Itachi was her role model and she admired him as much as she did Hinata.

Hinata lunged at Hiroko, the suspense was nerve-wracking and she couldn't wait for her aunt to make the first move anymore. That was her mistake. In one swift counter move from Hiroko and Hinata was pinned to the ground. Hiroko's deadly hand stopped a mere inch above Hinata's heart.

"You're dead Hina." The older one said. "You're still leaving yourself open and that is your weakness. You did a lot better than our last sparring session, but you have to learn how to protect that area. It's not the first time I've managed to get you in the same spot. Never get impatient or let your guard down as it can cost you your life." She finished in a slight reprimanding tone.

Hinata turned scarlet at her failure being pointed out to her. Hiroko got off of her in one fluid move, letting her stand up. "Gomen nasai, Hiroko-oneechan, I keep letting you down." The shy Hyūga apologized while looking down at her feet. Over the years, Hiroko was no longer seen as their aunt but more like an older sister; even Hiashi treated her as if she were one of his daughters.

Upon seeing her expression, Hiroko sighed and embraced Hinata. "You don't have to apologize Hina-chan, and I'm not scolding you. It's just that… it's your most vulnerable spot and I want you to be able to have a perfect, or at least near perfect, defense. I don't know what I'd do if something were to ever happen to you." She finished by giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Hanabi feeling left out ran out from where she was standing and tried to hug both of them with her small arms. When Hiroko saw her she chuckled, and picked her up so she could join them in a group hug.

A quiet rumbling was heard from in back of them, and Hiashi emerged from the shadows after witnessing their display. _Did he just laugh?'_thought Hiroko to herself, and sure enough she saw a small smile tug at the corners of his lips. Little did they know that he had watched their sparring session...

"Hinata, I see you have improved in your use of Jūken over these past months." The heiress bowed her head as a blush appeared on her cheeks; she was not used to hearing praise from her father. He would give it from time to time, but it was something that she could not get accustomed to. He turned to Hiroko and addressed her. "How is the Byakugan coming along? Has she been able to learn it?"

"Iie Hiashi-sama, she has not. She has developed better chakra control but she is not quite there yet. I'd say in just a few more weeks and she'll be able to activate her bloodline limit. Hinata is advancing very rapidly. Only a few members of our clan have been able to awaken the Byakugan at a young age— you, Neji, and myself being among them— and if things go as they have in our training Hinata will as well." Her voice was hinted with a bit of pride in her apprentice.

Hiashi nodded as he seemed satisfied with Hinata's development. He was silent for a moment, seriously thinking about something before he spoke again. "I would like to be present during your next training sessions. If things are going as well as you say there, she will activate her limit soon and I would like to be present when it happens. If possible I would like to train her myself as well."

Hinata snapped her head up; she had not been able to look at her father until that moment. "H-hai otō-san it will be an honor to have you teach me." She bit the inside of her bottom lip after hearing her slight stutter. She hardly ever stuttered now unless she felt she was under pressure, and she was mad at herself for having it resurface in front of her father. Although he seemed to not have noticed, it was either that or he just chose to ignore it which was probably the case, it didn't make things easier for her. Nothing seemed to escape the man... nothing.

He simply nodded at his oldest daughter. "You have trained the entire morning and are free to enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Just make sure you are here for dinner, the Uchiha will be dining with us tonight." With that he left them and retreated inside.

_He's not as cold and uncaring as he pretends to be in front of the council. He cares deeply about Hinata and wants to help her become the kunoichi we know she can be. _Hiroko felt someone tug gently on her arm; when she turned she saw that it was Hanabi.

"Onee-sama, when am I gonna start my training?" She asked with hope filled eyes.

Hiroko gave her a warm smile. "Very soon Hanabi-chan, you'll start very soon." She ruffled the toddler's hair who made a failed attempt at a pout in return. Temporarily satisfied with Hiroko's response, Hanabi made motion to be put down and once accomplished, ran off after her father.

She had seen Hanabi's attempts at shuriken training when she thought no one was looking and she couldn't blame her. The people she was around the most were constantly training with the exception of her father, Mikoto, and Fugaku. It was all the little girl knew, and she was bound to follow in their footsteps sooner or later. Of course in her situation she now had more pressure to become a strong shinobi; she was the second daughter and there was a very high probability she would one day be branded. She knew Hiashi didn't want that for his daughter and had been fighting the council on banning the seal all together for several years now. He had not been successful yet, and although he had been able to persuade some of the members there were still some that were set in their ways and refused changing the old, and barbaric in her opinion, ways of the clan. Hiashi would keep fighting it as long as he could in the hopes that whenever Hinata assumed her role, she would be able to finally accomplish what he had worked so hard to achieve. The only reason Hiroko had not been branded was because she was the sister of the clan head's late wife, and the last living member of her family.

"Do you have any plans for today, Hina-chan?" Hiroko asked.

"I need to shower first and change out of these robes; training really w-wore me out today. Then I was thinking about taking a nap before Sasuke and Itachi came over; and m-maybe do some flower pressing. I haven't done that in a while." The Hyūga replied while fiddling her fingers together.

"I need a shower too, pretty badly. I wanted to go into town though for a bit, are you sure you want to stay in today?"

"Hai onee-chan, I'd prefer to stay in today."

"Then enjoy the rest of your day," Hiroko walked up to her, gave her a hug, and retreated to her own sanctuary within the compound.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hiroko loved the sanctuary that her room offered. It was on the same wing as Hinata's and Hanabi's, having it been arranged that way when they were all younger, in case there ever was a time when they needed their "older sister". There had been plenty of times when they did. They were both terrified of thunder and whenever there were nights when the dreaded sound was too much to bear, they would come and join her on her bed. Aunt Hiroko could scare anything and everything away. Hinata still hadn't grown out of it and she doubted that she would soon, but as long as the girls needed her she would be there. Even when they didn't she still would.

Her room was very different from the rest of the house, much like the other two girls' rooms were. Each was decorated in their favorite color and hers was red. The walls were still a neutral color, as to not make the color overwhelming. Her bed was covered in red satin sheets and on it were many pillows. She loved them and wanted to be surrounded by them while she slept. She didn't like too much lighting in her room and preferred to use the candles she had placed throughout. Next to her bed was a door, covered by a sheer dark red curtain, that led to the garden; she enjoyed watching the stars at night and was glad she could do so at her convenience. She had an antique mahogany armoire that held most of her clothes, and she walked to it to get her clothes. She headed to her bathroom which was in a similar design to Hinata's, the bathtub in the middle and a vanity with a large mirror, except in her preferred color scheme. She poured her favorite oil and signature scent into the bathtub— a blend of jasmine, lilac, rose, and a hint of cinnamon— and soaked to relieve the stress of her sore muscles from sparring all morning.

She awoke with a start, not realizing that she had dozed off from her exhaustion, and hurried out of the bathtub. Almost immediately she noticed that she had recovered the feeling in her left arm after their training session earlier. Once in her room she looked outside and was glad to find out it was barely noon, she had been asleep for no longer than an hour. She dried herself and started to dress. Hiroko pulled on her red boy shorts and instead of wearing a bra she opted for wrapping bandages around her top half. She was… well endowed, much more than the other kunoichi her age and it made her self conscious, not to mention that they got in the way at times when she was in battle. She also didn't want to draw attention from her male friends, or any male for that matter. She preferred to be seen as one of the guys.

Her everyday clothes consisted of black mesh tights that were down to her knees topped with form-fitting black shorts that reached her mid thigh. On her upper body, she wore a black mesh sleeveless top that peeked through a distressed white tank top, topped with a black form-fitting zip up vest that rested at her hips. She put on her calf high, heel-less ninja boots and strapped her kunai pouch on her right thigh. She finished by brushing her hair; she didn't apply any make up since she didn't see the need for it, and was out the door.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Once in town, she headed to Ichiraku's Ramen Shop where she knew the gang would mostly likely be hanging out. As she approached the shop she was greeted by boisterous laughter that only confirmed their presence.

"Hey Hiroko-chan, it's nice of you to finally join us!" A bark was heard indicating its agreement and Inuzuka Hironori pet Takeo's head affectionately. Soon several voices muttered their agreement as well.

"How is Hinata-san's training going?" Her other teammate Aburame Hisoka asked knowing full well how she spend her mornings.

"She's improving at a rapid rate Hisoka-kun, thank you for asking. Every training session we have I see her more determined to learn our kekkei genkai. Pretty soon she'll be stronger than..." She nearly fell back when somebody came rushing into her and embraced her.

"Hiroko-chan, I'm so glad you're here!" Said her best friend Yamanaka Reika; the green eyed blonde was not afraid to show her any affection publicly.

She was the opposite of Hiroko. Reika was slim and very toned; she wore her long hair in a ponytail and wisps of hair that had escaped its hold framed her small face. Her clothes showed a little more skin; she wore a dark pink zip up vest with black zippers that rested just above her waist, a black skirt with zippers that ended above her knees with matching shorts underneath and calf high black ninja boots similar to her friend's. The two had been best friends for years. What had initially brought them together was the fact that there weren't many females their age. Since both were in a team with two other males they eventually had more reasons to get to know each other. Not that either one regretted it for they were the best of friends and shared things that couldn't be shared with their male teammates.

Behind her, her teammates Nara Ren and Akimichi Kenta approached them to greet her. Kenta was wiping the remaining evidence of food from his mouth with his sleeve, and Ren kept his hands in his pockets as he nodded his acknowledgment.

Hiroko looked at Ren and colored slightly. Even though he had not uttered a word to her yet and gave an air of indifference, he was still looking at her with such intensity that made her want to run for cover. He seemed to be having that effect on her lately, and she wondered if he knew that he looked at her in such a way or was even aware of the effect he had on her. They had spent a lot of time together over the past two years; they had a best friend in common. The more time she spend with Reika, the more time she spend with Ren and Kenta. She liked being around the lazy genius and she had yet to figure out why. It seemed that his clan was known for begetting lazy geniuses; his older brother Shikaku was one as well and from what Reika would mention about the Nara clan they weren't the only ones.

Reika had let go of Hiroko and she hadn't noticed until her best friend cleared her throat. Ren and Hiroko had been looking intently at each other and had ignored their friends in the process. Hiroko blushed again and wished that the other two hadn't noticed their exchange, but knew there was no chance they hadn't. Ren smirked when he saw her blush.

"Hiroko-chan, let's do something fun! We've been hanging out here for a while and I'm bored already. What do you say we go hang out at the waterfall? We can relax and catch up since I haven't seen you in a few days." She suggested.

Hiroko noticed for the first time who was at Ichiraku's; she hadn't even fully made it inside before she was attacked by Reika. Almost everyone was there; on one side sat Yūhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, Hatake Kakashi, Maito Guy, Mitarashi Anko, and Umino Iruka all huddled together. On the other were Kamizuki Izumo, Hagane Kotetsu, Gekko Hayate, and Uzuki Yūgao. They were all close in age, were a mix of chūnin and jōnin level shinobi, and got along really well.

"Hai Reika-chan, that sounds like fun. Will it just be the six of us then?" She turned to look at the others.

"Gomen, Hiroko-chan," replied the silent Aburame. "I have to train with my father; I have already spend more time here than intended. I'll be more than glad to join you next time."

"The same goes for me, Hiroko-chan. I have some training to do with Tsume-san; Takeo and I have wanted to go up against her and Kuromaru for quite some time and today is the only day she'll be free for a while." Hironori told her apologetically. "Maybe we can do something together next time."

She pouted slightly at her teammates. "That's what you said the last time." They each walked up to her and ruffled her hair, it was their way of saying bye to her, and walked home. She turned back to Reika, Ren, and Kenta. "I think it's just gonna be the four of us again."

"About that," Kenta started, "I'm gonna have to take a rain check. My brother wanted me to spend some time with him and his family. Sorry guys."

"Out of all days everybody suddenly has a prior arrangement." Reika said exasperated. "What about you Ren, do you have somewhere you need to be, too?" She asked sarcastically.

"Actually no, I wanted to join you guys."

"Well, at least not everybody bailed on us Hiroko-chan." She grabbed Hiroko's arm and started walking in the direction of their hang out spot.

When they were out of hearing range, Kenta turned to the lazy nin. "When are you planning to tell her? It's becoming pretty obvious and you won't be able to hide it for much longer."

He already knew what his best friend meant. "I can't tell her. If I do, I'll risk making things awkward between us and eventually losing her. I'd prefer to have her in my life as just a friend than not having her at all. I wouldn't be able to bear it. Somebody else will come along worthy enough of her; I know of several shinobi that are interested in her, how could I possibly have a chance?"

Kenta placed his hand on Ren's shoulder. "You should tell her, I have a feeling things will work out for you in the end." He sighed out of a habit he had picked up from Ren. "You're right there's a lot of shinobi out there worthy of courting her, but she doesn't look at them the way she looks at you." As if sensing they were talking about her, Hiroko looked back at Ren and smiled at him, that smile that he loved so much, and moved her head slightly motioning for him to follow. Ren smiled back at her. "You'd have to be blind not to see that there's something more than feelings of friendship between the two of you."

Ren hated when Kenta was right, and this was no exception; he sighed in surrender never tearing away his gaze from her retreating form. When had things gotten so complicated? When had their friendship started to turn into something more? He loved when she was around; the fact that Reika and Hiroko were best friends was the perfect excuse for him to start talking to her in the first place. She had always been out of his reach, since their days in the academy, and had been afraid of approaching her. Yes, the lazy genius had been afraid, much like he was now except now he was terrified of her rejection… he was terrified of losing her. When he got to know her though, he realized that she was the kindest person he had ever met. Sure she was passionate at times and he loved that about her, but she was not troublesome like his mother or his sister-in-law and boy was he ever grateful for that. What had captivated him about her at first were those eyes of hers, those white-silver eyes that could see right through him, and then it was her porcelain skin and pitch black hair that shone with a tint of midnight blue in the sun, much like it did right now. Many times he wished he could run his fingers through those silky strands of hers. When they got older he started to think of her in other ways too, he hated himself for it, but he couldn't help it, she had developed into a beautiful young woman and everybody could see that. He knew he had to say something soon, or else he'd risk exploding at the wrong moment and really lose her for good.

Kenta saw as emotion after emotion flashed on his friend's face. He knew Ren was in a difficult situation and would not want to be in his shoes, but he knew his friend's feelings were reciprocated and he was worrying himself sick over nothing. He had seen it many times before and today was a perfect example. They would just stare at each other and completely ignore everyone and everything around them without realizing it, and they could all see the emotions they felt towards each other in those brief moments. Both teams had discussed at times ways to try and get them together. They truly wore their heart on their sleeves.

"I suggest you make your feelings clear to her now before somebody else comes along and beats you to it. She's one in a million, a rare gem; one of those that you'd be lucky to find in a lifetime. I don't want you to regret not telling her." Kenta gave Ren a light nudge forward sending him on his way with the Hyūga, just as Reika turned back to look at him and gave him a small wink, unnoticed by the other two. He hoped that the next time he'd see his best friend he'd have good news to tell him.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

When they got to the waterfall, they all felt their stress melt away. It was one of the few places where they could escape to, temporarily forgetting their duties to their village, their respective clans, and everything else. It was outside the village but it was still close enough where they could come back if needed. It was hidden and unless you knew what you were looking for you would miss it; only the two teams knew about it. It was a beautiful waterfall that fell into a medium sized lake and it was completely surrounded by greenery. They would sometimes sneak out and camp out here at night, but it had not been all six of them together for quite some time. The girls walked over to the edge of the water and took of their boots. They sat together and dipped their feet in. Ren sat behind them and leaned against a large boulder, he admired the Hyūga from afar. How was he going to tell her? When? Just the thought of rejection made him completely lose his resolve. He liked her a lot and wished she felt the same way.

They sat in silence for a while, neither of them felt like interrupting the peace. Reika turned back to look at her teammate and saw that he had yet to look away from Hiroko. The look on his face stirred something within her; she had never seen him so torn. She knew of his feelings for her best friend and wondered if he would ever confess. She had grown frustrated many times at her helplessness; at her just being a bystander while those around her suffered and not being able to do anything. She looked away from him and turned to the girl sitting next to her. The whole time they had been there she had not spoken and now she saw that the look that was on Ren's face was reflected on hers. This was the time, she decided, if they didn't get the time alone now she doubted they would get a chance like this again. She refused to continue and watch her friends suffer any longer. She slowly got up and grabbed her boots, not interrupting the other girl's thoughts. Ren noticed her walking towards him and stood up. Reika placed a hand on his arm, and when their eyes met he knew what she was doing for him without voicing it. She was giving them a chance; giving him a chance to tell her once and for all. Had he really been so oblivious as to think that his teammates wouldn't know about his feelings for the raven haired beauty? Of course they had known. Maybe even longer than he did. Without saying anything else, she walked off leaving them alone.

He took a deep breath and walked towards her. He rolled up his pants, took off his sandals, his flak jacket, and placed them next to him. His heart rate increased rapidly as he sat down next to her and dipped his feet in the water.

Hiroko turned to look at him and when she focused she spoke up. "Where did Reika-chan go? I thought she was sitting next to me."

He chuckled, she had really been unaware of what was going on around her. "Uh… she said she had to go. She remembered she had to do something last minute." He was a bad liar and he hoped she didn't see straight through him.

"Gomen, Ren-kun I was distracted and didn't notice when she left. It's just that… I love being here, it's so peaceful. I could spend hours here and not get tired of this place."

"I know the feeling," he replied with an amused grin. "I must confess, the times when you guys would look for me and couldn't find me anywhere, well I was hiding here." He guiltily admitted as he scratched the back of his head.

She giggled and what a sweet sound it was. He hoped he could make her giggle again. "Oh, so now the next time you hide from me I'll know where to look." Her hand graced his arm and it sent shivers down his spine. When she moved he could smell her, and how he loved it. He recognized her scent; he had dreamt about it countless times before. He had to fight the urge to pull her closer and inhale her aroma.

"I would never hide from you, Hiroko-chan. If you ever need me I'll always be there."

Her cheeks were tinted with a deep blush. She knew he had really meant what he said, and she thought she saw an emotion she didn't recognize in his eyes. She wasn't normally this shy; she didn't understand why she was losing her nerve in front of Ren and was even more distraught at the influence he had on her. They looked at each other for several moments. She had never had him this close to her and she could really distinguish his scent now and she was intoxicated by it. He smelled like the forest he loved so much to be in; he smelled like a mixture of cedar, juniper, and amber, and she couldn't stop inhaling the air around him. His skin tone was a beautiful golden tan, and his eyes were the richest shade of warm honey she had seen. His long hair was such a dark shade of brown that it appeared to be black; he always wore his hair in a ponytail and it had grown quite a bit that she wondered what he looked like with it down. She hadn't paid attention to him from this distance before; she hadn't had the privilege of having him so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. Without realizing it they had gotten closer, and it was at that moment that she finally realized what it was that she truly felt for him. Conscious of her discovery, she turned her gaze down blushing for the umpteenth time in front of him.

At the same time she discovered her feelings, so did he and he couldn't describe the joy and relief he felt when he saw them reflected in her eyes. This was the chance he had been waiting and hoping for. He placed his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. He looked at her hoping she could see the same emotions in him that he had seen in her.

"Hiroko-chan, I have a confession to make and I hope that this doesn't change things between us and you don't think any less of me." He paused, waiting for her to say something that would deter his resolution. When she said nothing he continued. "I… I have developed strong feelings for you, Hiroko-chan. Feelings that aren't of friendship. I don't know when it happened or how. All I know is that one day I woke up and realized that you are the only one I want to be with. I have felt like this for a while, but I have been afraid of telling you for risk of losing you altogether." She searched his eyes for any hint of deception and she found none. Her eyes began to glisten. "I don't know what it was that first won me over; your eyes, your smile, your caring nature, or just everything about you at once, but the fact of the matter is that you did and there's not a moment that I find myself not thinking about you. If you'll accept me and are willing to give me a chance I will demonstrate to you just how…"

He was abruptly silenced when she placed her slender finger on his lips. The tears that had threatened to come were now flowing freely, and he realized she couldn't have been more beautiful than she was at that moment. "Ren-kun, you've said enough." She paused for what seemed ages and he was becoming afraid of what her answer might be. Had he misinterpreted her feelings? "I— I feel the same way. I don't know how it happened, and I didn't know what it was for a long time. In fact, I didn't realize what it was until just now. I had always been afraid of forming that type of bond with someone, but you got through to me without even trying to. I'm willing to take that risk now; I want to take it. Ren I accept…"

She was enveloped in warmth as he embraced her tightly and enveloped his lips with hers; letting lose his feelings for her, showing her what he felt. He wasn't demanding. His kiss was soft and caring. She began to respond when she assimilated what was happening. It was her first kiss and knew that it was his as well. He entwined his fingers with hers and with his other hand he caressed her hair. It was just like he suspected… pure silk.

She slowly lifted her free hand and started to play with his hair. The soft caresses began to steadily become more passionate and exploring. Her scent didn't disappoint; it was exotic and intoxicating— just like her— and he knew he'd be forever hooked. When he became more confident in their kiss, he lightly teased her bottom lip as he licked it and nibbled on it; eliciting a soft moan from her. She was slightly embarrassed but soon got over it when his tongue slipped inside her mouth, exploring and dwelling deeper. They only broke apart to breathe, as they both desperately needed it, and soon became lost once again in the moment when Ren slowly started to lay her back on the soft grass, placing his left arm under her head. She wasn't afraid of his advances, she trusted him, for she knew he wouldn't go any further than they should. His hands and caresses didn't roam anywhere other than her hair, face, arms, and shoulders; and he found out he had a will of steel for he wanted so badly to explore the mystery that was her.

They finally broke away from their passionate kiss and just lay there; Hiroko on her back and Ren on his left side next to her. She truly was beautiful and she was all his now. He would do everything possible to make her happy. His thoughts began to wander on what had just happened between them and on the things he wanted so badly to do with her. He was in no hurry, he had finally confessed his feelings to her and she corresponded; he would take things slowly with her and ensure that everything turned out right. She was _finally_ his.

She smiled at him and it seemed brighter than any other she had offered before, and it was just for him. "Not to dampen the mood or anything, but when are we gonna talk to Hiashi-sama? I don't want us to have to hide and I want us to do things right from the beginning."

Without hesitation he answered, "As soon as possible. I don't want to dishonor you or your family in that way and I would hate for Hiashi-sama to find out from a rumor going around the village rather than myself."

She felt very proud of his response; it showed the he really did respect her and wanted something serious if he wanted to talk to the clan head personally. "Well, we're having dinner with the Uchiha tonight, and he's told me before that I can invite a guest but never have. If you want… you can be my guest tonight." She suggested.

He was a bit surprised at her proposition; he didn't think it would be so soon. He thought better of it. "Hai, I will love to have dinner with your family and the Uchiha. The sooner I talk to him, the sooner we can have his approval."

"You'll get to meet Fugaku-sama and Mikoto-san personally. I just know Mikoto-san will love you!" She said with excitement. He knew of her closeness to the Uchiha. She had told them of what the two clan heads were trying to accomplish and he admired both men tremendously. He also knew of her relationship with Uchiha Mikoto; she had referred to her as her mother accidentally sometimes and she had practically raised Hinata and Hanabi. In his opinion she was a great woman.

"I hope so." Was all he told her and he placed a kiss on her nose. He would meet the clan heads of the two most respected clans in Konoha. He was starting to become increasingly nervous for what awaited him at tonight's dinner.

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**__ Okay this was a whole lot longer than I expected, and I really do hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was to satisfy my need, as well as __**Lady Crack**__'s, for Hiroko to serve a greater purpose. I will confess that Hiroko and Ren have become one of my favorite couples. I think it's because he's a Nara, reminds me of Shikamaru, and I do love Shikamaru! Thank you for reading and I hope you keep up with the updates._

_**-Wyvern**_


	6. Black Days Begin

_**A/N:**_ So first of all I want to apologize for being absent for as long as I have. Life happened. My mom got sick, had open-heart surgery, but is finally recuperating. Aside from that I have also been rewriting this chapter, several times I might add, and this is what I have come up with. I am not fully satisfied with this and might rewrite it later. Like I said before, I know what I want to do with the story, but I get a little stuck with the in between so if you have any suggestions I'd like to hear them. Anyway, this is chapter 6 and I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for my grammatical errors, still don't have a beta.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I DO NOT own Naruto. Do I have to keep repeating myself every chapter? It's already a given and we all know who owns it don't we?

_**Rating:**_ **T**

Title for the chapter courtesy of Atreyu.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Black Days Begin<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

The rest of the day had gone by before they knew it, and the long awaited dinner with the Hyūgas and Uchihas had come. The Hyūgas had been over at the Uchiha compound many times before; Hanabi and Hinata practically lived with them for a while when the clan heads had become overwhelmed with clan business and Hiroko had been away constantly for weeks at a time on missions. It was also partly due to Mikoto wanting to have her loved ones at home as much as she could; however, this would be their first time over at the Hyūga compound. Hiashi had tried to have them over plenty of times but for one reason or another it never worked out.

Hiroko and Ren had arrived at the Hyūga compound before the Uchihas were expected and asked for Hiashi's blessing. They had been extremely nervous about the whole thing and he had surprised them both by taking their new relationship very calmly. Hiashi had known Ren for several years; he had been friends with Hiroko for a long time after all and would visit her along with her other friends frequently. He also knew the Nara clan was highly respected among the village so he had no objection and gave them his blessing. The Uchihas had also taken it well; Mikoto seemed to be delighted with Ren and she was very happy that Hiroko had her first boyfriend.

The dinner itself was nothing out of the ordinary. It was occupied with small talk and the Uchiha tried to get to know Ren better; unknowingly they would take turns asking him questions— ranging from how he and Hiroko had met to questions about his life. He was sure they were gauging his worth of the Hyūga, not that he blamed them. He had seen the closeness between the two families; he had seen how close Hinata and Sasuke were, although they were never loud, they were so engrossed with each other that they failed to acknowledge what was going on around them. He observed Itachi and Hanabi; they were five years apart, if he recalled correctly, and he could see the admiration etched on Hanabi's face whenever she looked at the older Uchiha. The clan heads regarded each other with familiarity, he could see that they considered each other friends and he could especially see the affection Mikoto felt towards each one of them. Though he had just met her personally he admired the clan head's wife and could see she was a great woman.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

After dinner, Hiashi, Fugaku, and Mikoto, retreated to the study to discuss the real reason behind their gathering. The tension was palpable and it was Hiashi who broke the silence first.

"Has there been no change whatsoever? Will they stand their ground and refuse to waiver? They insist on carrying out their plan regardless of the consequences?" The Hyūga asked, his usually emotionless face reflected the gravity of the situation.

"Hai, they have the solution right in front of them yet refuse to accept it." The Uchiha clan head replied exasperated. "After all these years of trying to mend old wounds that are from before our time yet still haunt us, and it has all been for nothing!" He exclaimed as he rubbed his temples, he could feel the start of a headache.

Mikoto placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "No Fugaku, something good _has_ come out of all this. We have done what we can to deal with the matter; it's out of our hands now." She looked at the two clan heads currently standing in the room talking. Many years ago this would not have been possible; their children would not have been as close as they were and she would not have three wonderful daughters. Regardless of everything they had worked for, the things they had accomplished, it was only but a small dent in the hate their clan felt towards the Hyūgas. Things were out of control and they were no longer in their hands. Being the smart men they were they understood what she meant without further explanation.

"You are right Mikoto-san some things have been accomplished, yet the negative overshadows all the good that we have done." Hiashi informed her, a look of desperation and regret in his eyes.

Fugaku looked back at him with the same expression. "The Sandaime is aware of the situation and has requested an audience with us at midnight. He wants to come to a solution once and for all before the situation escalates and anybody is hurt in the process."

Hiashi knew that if the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was getting involved in their clan matters, things had indeed gotten out of control. It was not something he was looking forward to, since it probably meant the Konoha Councilors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu would end up getting involved as well and if they had a say so in it, the result was never good. "I see and he will reach a conclusion then?" He asked weary of what the answer would be though already knowing it.

Fugaku nodded his response. "We should take leave then, make sure that _no one_ sees you leave the compound; as will we."

With a slight inclination of his head as confirmation, Hiashi watched as the Uchihas exited the study. He was left alone with his thoughts, pondering over what the Hokage's decision would be, for tonight he would decide their fates.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hinata, Sasuke, Hanabi, and Itachi were outside in the garden enjoying the night sky. They could see all the stars clearly for there were no clouds tonight. The chirping of crickets could be heard reverberating throughout, although from where it was coming from was not clear as it seemed to come from all around them. Hiroko and Ren had disappeared almost as soon as the door to Hiashi's study had closed behind them, most likely to do "big kid stuff" as Sasuke had put it. They were all currently lying down on the grass in an open area to have a better view of the night sky, their heads slightly touching. Hanabi was playing with Itachi's long hair, twirling it around her fingers. Itachi of course paid no mind since he was used to it and he actually enjoyed it, although he would never admit it out loud.

"Nii-san, am I going to be able to train with you and Sasuke-kun soon?' Asked the lavender-eyed heiress.

Itachi was thoughtful for a moment. _I don't know if we'll even be allowed the time for us to train, Hina. I don't know how much time we have left... _he couldn't say that to her. "As soon as possible; we can start tomorrow after your training with Hiroko-san if you'd like."

She sat up from the excitement, "We can really start tomorrow, nii-san?"

"Hn," he responded as he nodded.

"Arigato, nii-san!"

Hanabi sat up and pulled on Itachi's sleeve. "Can I train with you too, Itachi-nii? I won't waste your time and I'll try my hardest, promise!"

He smiled at her; she really was something else. He hesitated in answering her, he wanted to keep her innocence intact as long as he could, but he knew that because of who she was she needed to be ready for anything that came her way. He was gonna make sure she was ready. "Of course, Hanabi-chan you can start your training tomorrow as well."

"I'll finally get to train with you! I won't let you down Itachi-nii, I promise! I'll learn everything you have to teach me and I'll be as good as onee-sama!" She was so eager to start her training.

Itachi chuckled and ruffled her hair, she always wanted to do the things they did and didn't want to get left behind. His attention was taken away from her when he saw his parents walk towards them, and from the expression on their faces he could see that whatever it was they had talked about behind closed doors was a serious matter. The smile he received from his mother was too strained, and had he not been who he was he would not have noticed it.

"Itachi-kun and Sasuke-kun come, we must go home it has gotten pretty late and I'm sure you have training to do first thing in the morning." She said to her sons. Yes, her expression was too _fake_, there was definitely something wrong.

All four children stood up almost simultaneously. The Hyūgas appeared sad at their departure for they seemed to spend less and less time with the Uchihas than they were used to.

"Do you really have to go, okā-san? We didn't even get to spend time together after dinner," inquired Hinata hopefully.

"Hai Hina-chan, it is late and we have already imposed ourselves on Hiashi-sama too much." She knelt down to kiss her on her forehead and gave her a hug. "We'll see each other tomorrow whenever you are done with your tasks for the day."

Hinata was still unconvinced but only nodded. "After my training with Itachi-kun and Sasuke-kun I'd love to go visit you okā-san."

It was still something that felt new to her, no matter how long it had been since Hinata and Hanabi had first started calling her mother— something she would never take for granted— she still felt a pleasant tug in her chest every time she heard it. She stroked Hinata's hair then walked towards Hanabi to say goodnight to her in the same manner, behind her Fugaku was bidding them goodnight in the same way.

As the Uchihas started to make their way out of the Hyūga compound, Hanabi caught up to Itachi and gave him one last hug before he left. He hugged her back tightly; he couldn't shake the feeling that everything would soon change.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

The house had been quiet for a while, an indication that her sons had long fallen asleep. She lay in bed… waiting for the time of the meeting with the Sandaime and the elders to come, something she was _not_ looking forward to. She had hoped things would not have come to this, but there was little they could do now. There were things going on within the clan that she didn't know about, things that were being planned, and there was _nothing_ she could do to stop them.

After what felt like hours she felt Fugaku stir beside her and knew that it was time… oh how she dreaded it. She had to snap out it, it was so unbecoming of her. _I'm the clan head's wife! _Stealthily they both got out of bed and started to make their way out of the house.

On her way out, she stopped at Sasuke's door to make sure he was asleep. To her relief she heard the light snoring indicating as such. Next she approached Itachi's and as quietly as possible checked to see if he was awake. She saw the steady rise and fall of his chest, but knew he was a light sleeper and was not completely convinced.

She lingered a bit longer than intended, waiting for him to stir but saw nothing. Somewhat convinced she decided it was time to go, he seemed to be asleep. As she slid the door closed she failed to see his eyes open.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They had managed to make it to the place of their meeting, an old abandoned cabin in the outskirts of the village, without being seen. It had helped that it was late at night and the streets were almost deserted with the exception of a few shinobi wandering around. By the time they arrived Hiashi was already there along with the Hokage, the elders, and someone they had not expected— Shimura Danzō. Mikoto immediately knew that the outcome would not be good if the three were involved, especially him, and she saw the tenseness she felt herself reflected in Fugaku and Hiashi.

It was a few minutes before midnight, but at their arrival the Hokage spoke. "Since you are all here I see no reason to prolong our time here any longer than it has to be." He paused and they all seemed to hold their breath at the same time; regret and sadness were reflected in the Sandaime's eyes. "I am truly sorry to inform you that this is no longer in my hands. A decision has been reached."

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _This is the end of chapter six and I know it's a lot shorter than the other chapters, but this is where it seemed right to end it. There will be another time skip soon. It will more than likely be in the next chapter. I'd really appreciate some feedback, so let me know how I'm doing. Thank you for reading this chapter and stick around for the next one!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	7. Inception of the End

_**A/N:**_ So here we are! Chapter 7! Can you believe it? I'm so happy I could cry, but let's not do that… I want to thank blackirishawk, SasuHina4evr, and XxShiro777xX for their reviews. You guys make writing this story so much worthwhile. I would also like to thank those that I did not get to respond to their reviews, those who have added me to their favorite authors/story alert/author alert; it means so much to me. Before I continue I would like to say that I know that there is a large age gap between Itachi and Hanabi, but for the sake of the story I made it a lot smaller. It would not work out for my story if I had kept their ages the way they are supposed to be. Before I forget, this chapter starts roughly a little more than a year after the last chapter so… Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto are 7, Itachi is 10, and Hanabi is 5.

_**Rating:**_ **T**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto… Kishimoto-sama does. If I did the boys would have hotter looking bodies… á lá Bleach… we love eye candy!

Title for chapter courtesy of Trivium.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inception of the End<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

He had been looking forward to this day for a long time, and it had finally arrived. He looked around him and saw other children his age; most of which he did not know, but remembered seeing around the village. They were all standing in rows, facing forward, and in alphabetical order; they were supposed to be listening to the Hokage's induction speech into the academy. He couldn't focus though and all he heard was something about "The Will of Fire", he really couldn't wait for the ceremony to be over already. Several kids in front of him, he could see a head of midnight blue hair— no doubt in his mind it belonged to Hinata— and she seemed enthralled in the speech. Next to him was a weird blonde kid with whisker-like markings on his cheeks he didn't remember seeing before, and not that it mattered since he was here for one thing only— to graduate at the top of his class and be as good as, if not better than, his big brother Itachi. Remembering his brother, he directed his attention forward once again and to the right where the family members were standing, and just as he had hoped, his parents were there along with Itachi. Next to them stood Hiashi, Hiroko, Ren and Hanabi which was standing very close to Itachi. He could see people from the village looking at the two families with curiosity; the villagers were still not used to seeing the clan heads of the two most prominent clans together in such a way.

After what seemed hours, his attention was drawn out from his thoughts when he heard cheers and applause coming from the new students as well as the family members, and he could only guess that the dreaded ceremony was finally over. He quickly searched in front of him for Hinata and could not find her. On his right he felt the strong sensation that someone was observing him and when he looked, he saw it was the blonde kid who had been staring at him. Sasuke glared at him as if to warn him to stay away since he could tell he had wanted to talk to him; the boy flinched under his gaze and scratched the back of his neck while laughing nervously. He was momentarily distracted when he heard hushed whispers and giggles coming from his left. He looked and sure enough a small group of fan girls was already starting to gather, and he merely sighed in irritation, _Here we go… for Kami's sake where is Hinata!_

As if his unspoken words had summoned her, he saw the shy Hyūga approach him and as soon as their eyes met her whole face lit up with a smile. That small gesture earned her one in return and Sasuke felt the corner of his lips lift slightly in a mixture of a smile and a smirk, which was only reserved for her and he momentarily forgot about the other children surrounding them.

"Sasuke-kun," she said as she stood in front of him, "the ceremony's over, and it's official… we're finally in the Academy." Her eyes seemed to shimmer with excitement and had he not been good at masking his emotions, he had learned from watching Itachi, he probably would have looked as excited as she was.

"Hn," he responded and nodded with his gentle smile still in place. Hinata knew him better and although his response was short she knew he was just as excited as she was.

Noticing him for the first time, Hinata turned to the blonde kid that was still standing next to him and Sasuke grunted in annoyance. He sincerely hoped she wouldn't do what she usually did and be nice to the kid by introducing herself; the boy's overly cheerful expression and bright cerulean eyes just seemed to irk him for some reason.

She gave the blonde a small smile and bowed politely. "Ohayō gozaimasu, m-my name is Hyūga Hinata." Too late… of course she would introduce herself. Why couldn't she _not_ be nice for _once_ and just ignore the kid!

The blonde kid just looked at her as if he had never seen a girl in his life before, and the more he stared at her the less he liked the way he was looking at Hinata. "O-ohayō Hinata-san, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

_This is just great— he stutters too!_ He seemed to be liking this Naruto character less and less. Hinata was now looking at him waiting for him to introduce himself to Naruto, but he just looked blankly at her. It's not like the Uzumaki kid really wanted to know who he was when he was too busy looking at Hinata with that stupid look on his face! He definitely _did not_ like him…

Giving up, she did the introduction for him, not that the idiot wouldn't find out soon enough who he was, if he didn't know already. "This is Uchiha S-Sasuke." Naruto finally turned to look at him and just stared at him as if he had appeared out of nowhere. At this point, Sasuke was becoming very annoyed but refused to let the Uzumaki get to him like that. Noticing the annoyance just emanating from Sasuke, Hinata was about to step in when they were interrupted by a blur of golden brown.

"Onee-chan you did it! You're finally in the academy with Sasuke-kun!" She collided with Hinata and gave her a tight hug which earned her a chime-like giggle from the older Hyūga. Behind her of course was Itachi and next to him were Hiroko and Ren. Sasuke had never been more grateful for the interruption of his brother and "little sister".

"Congratulations, Hinata-chan and Sasuke-kun!" Hiroko said with a big smile on her face. She held Ren's right hand and his left was tucked lazily inside his pocket. He looked at both of them and mumbled something incoherent, as if the mere act of talking was something so draining. They were all used to it by now.

"ArigatōHiroko-chan," Hinata said as she bowed politely and Sasuke nodded in appreciation.

Itachi approached him and said in a much quieter voice that only he was meant to hear, "Congratulations otouto, you can finally show otō-san how much you've improved."

Sasuke had always felt like he was in the shadow of his brother Itachi since his father always talked about Itachi's accomplishments; especially now since he had recently passed his Chūnin Exams at the age of 10 and there were rumors going around the village that he was already being considered for the ANBU. He still had a good relationship with his father, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel that he wanted him to be more like Itachi. He would never hate his brother though, and it wasn't his fault he was great at everything— he loved him too much to ever feel something like that towards him— Itachi was his role model. Now it was his turn to show his parents and the Hyūgas, especially Hinata, just what he was capable of. They had all been training together for a while now— including his "little sister" Hanabi as his mother referred to her as— and they had all learned a great deal from each other. They were indeed formidable opponents for their young age and he knew they had an advantage over almost all, if not all, of the kids in their age group thanks to the training they had received from Itachi, Hiroko, Ren, and even his mother. It was his turn to be acknowledged by his father.

"I'm glad you're here aniki," Sasuke told his big brother. It was his presence that mattered more at this moment than his father's. Itachi had mentioned he had a mission to go to today, but he figured the Hokage had given him at least this time to be present for the ceremony and for that he was grateful.

"We just came to congratulate you before you had to go off to class and wish you good luck on your first day," Hiroko told them with a smile ever present on her face. "The Hokage said he'd give us a few minutes before class would start." She pulled Hinata into an embrace startling the poor girl and got an annoyed response from Hanabi who was still attached to her. "I'm so proud of you, Hina-chan."

"Leave the poor girl alone you're gonna suffocate her," Ren said when he saw how Hinata went from impossibly red to purple. "You're making it sound like she's going off to her first mission; it's only her first day at the Academy, Hiroko-chan." Then he mumbled something about troublesome.

Hiroko quickly let her go and blushed when she noticed Hinata's color and that Hanabi still refused to let go of her sister and was now giving her a glare that resembled more of a pout, "Gomen Hina-chan and Hanabi-chan." Out of her embarrassment she tried to straighten the heiress's now crooked top and ruffled hair; next to her Ren chuckled. Their time together came to an end when they heard one of the teachers tell them that it was time for class to start.

Ren and Hiroko said their goodbyes and left, he had to nearly pull her away from them. Hanabi grabbed a hold of Hinata and Sasuke by the arms and started to pull them in the direction of the entrance. "Come on, you don't want to be late for your first day!" That kid had so much energy Sasuke didn't know where she got it from.

As she pulled them away he saw that Naruto had stayed close watching them the whole time. Sasuke had completely forgotten about him. Hinata turned as much as she could while still being held by Hanabi's grasp.

"It was nice meeting you, U-Uzumaki-san!" She gave him a small smile before she let herself be dragged away by the eager five year old.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Naruto could not stop looking at the nice girl with the unique lavender eyes; he had never met a girl that had eyes like hers. _They're so pretty! _Well that wasn't quite true since among the people that had approached her and that kid with the bad temper, there were two girls with eyes very similar to hers. They were a slightly different shade from what he had been able to see, while Hinata's were a lavender hue the other girls' were a mixture of pearly white and a silvery hue. He was almost certain they were related somehow. Now that he thought about it he was almost certain he had seen people with eyes similar to theirs around the village, but their almost white eyes were nothing compared to the three girls he had seen today, especially not Hinata's. While he watched them he couldn't help but feel a little sad and jealous at the same time. They all had seemed very fond of each other, like a family would be, and it made it more noticeable that nobody had been there for him. He didn't have a family… he was alone.

He tried not to dwell on it and shake it off, after all he had met somebody today— well he had met two people today— and _she_ had been the one to introduce herself and that kid with the weird hair. She was the first to approach him willingly and he couldn't have been happier. All the other kids and adults around the village seemed to be afraid of him or would look down on him, much like the Uchiha kid had done.

_Hyūga Hinata… _she was truly different from anybody else he had met and he hoped they would become friends. _My first friend… _Somehow the Academy had the prospect of becoming a much better place than it had first appeared to be when he woke up this morning.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

When Itachi met up with his mother he saw that his father and Hiashi had already left, to handle clan business no doubt, and the last of the parents that stayed behind were leaving. The Hokage had stayed behind as well and was now talking with his mother; when he and Hanabi approached them their conversation ceased.

When he stood in front of them he bowed to his leader. He straightened his position and turned to look at Hanabi next to him with a raised eyebrow and nudged her arm lightly. She immediately understood his message and bowed too. "Hokage-sama," she said. He smiled at the young girl in return then addressed Itachi.

"Ah, Itachi-kun your mother and I were just talking about when you first started at the academy. The years seem to have just flown by and now it's Sasuke's and Hinata's turn. Mikoto-san was telling me how they have been training for several years now under yours and Hiroko-chan's guidance; no doubt they will be outstanding amongst their peers." The Sandaime said with a bit of pride, he couldn't wait to see what great shinobi they would become.

"Hai, Hokage-sama they have been very diligent about their training. They have both been exposed to the Hyūga and Uchiha fighting styles, even Hanabi-chan has started her training." He said as he looked down at the young Hyūga.

The Hokage leaned forward towards her. "And who are you little one?" He asked and although he already knew who she was he made an effort to get to know all the people in his village personally.

She stood up a little straighter before answering and remembered how Hiroko and Hinata had told her to properly introduce herself. "_Ohayō gozaimasu_ Hokage-sama, I'm Hyūga Hanabi." She felt very proud of herself at the moment.

"Ah, the youngest of the Hyūgas I see. How old might you be?" He asked as he smiled warmly at her.

"I'm five years old, Hokage-sama," she responded.

"Five already? I remember when you were just a baby, and pretty soon you will be starting the Academy yourself." Was he really getting that old? It seemed like he had just met baby Hanabi yesterday.

"Hai Hokage-sama, I can't wait!" She responded enthusiastically then she reached for Itachi's hand as she smiled at him. "Itachi-kun has been training me and I hope he still does at least until I start at the Academy."

The Hokage nodded, "You couldn't have had a better sensei Hanabi-chan." He really couldn't wait to see what a great Kunoichi she would turn out to be; he only hoped he would be around long enough to see it. He turned to look at the Uchihas, "Well I must get going there are still many tasks that require my attention. It was nice to see you all again." He turned to Itachi and remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Itachi-kun would you please do an old man the favor of escorting him to the Hokage tower?"

Itachi knew this meant he had something important to say since he was politely asking him instead of just outright demanding him, not that the Hokage would ever do that, so he nodded. He felt his hand being squeezed gently by another much smaller than his own and he looked down into familiar white-silver eyes.

"Itachi-nii," she said inquiringly. He squatted down until he was at her level and now held both of her hands in his. "Will you be leaving on a mission again?" He could tell she hoped he wasn't going away so soon, after all he had just gotten back the day before.

He couldn't hold back the smile that had reached his lips, "I don't know Hanabi-chan, but if I do you'll be the first to know. As soon as I'm done I'll come get you and we can do whatever you want." He said in hopes of comforting her a little, they hadn't spent as much time together as she would like. If it was up to her they would stay over at the Uchihas' every day if that meant she would get to spend more time with her favorite Uchiha. They had practically lived with them several years ago, but they were all growing up and had to start doing their own things. Before they knew it they would all start going on missions of their own.

She did appear to have cheered up a little but still wasn't fully convinced. "We can go get ice cream and play at the park," she paused as if still thinking about it. "You promise, Itachi-nii?"

He loved his little sister too much and couldn't say no to her when she gave him the famous puppy eyes and pouted. "I promise, Hanabi-chan." Suddenly she practically threw herself at him when she gave him a hug. He was momentarily surprised but quickly snapped out of it since it was something that she was very fond of doing— hugging her "older brother". Itachi missed the surprised look on the Hokage's face since he never showed affection to anyone other than his mother and Sasuke. Itachi slowly broke away from her and stood up; he could tell she still looked sad. Mikoto moved forward and reached for Hanabi's hand as Itachi and the Hokage started to walk away.

"Hanabi-chan," she waited until she had the girl's attention. "Let's go home."

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

They walked together in silence; they were both too wrapped up in their thoughts to want to say much of anything. The Hokage had seen the tender moment Itachi and Hanabi had shared and couldn't help but feel sad for the both of them. Itachi, although still very young, had closed himself off from almost everyone around him; the exception being his family and now the Hyūga. He was aware of the difference in their age and knew that they held a very strong bond— much like that of close siblings— yet he couldn't help but wonder if over the course of the years and given the opportunity it could grow into something more. He was almost certain that it could and he sincerely wished it would happen, but they were running out of time. He knew Itachi was aware of this as well. About halfway to the tower, it was the Hokage who broke the silence first.

"She seems very fond of you," he said finally voicing some of what he had been pondering over.

"And I of her," Itachi said almost as if in afterthought.

Sarutobi turned to look at him and saw the brief almost pained expression on his face. It was just as he had hoped and feared; this would only make it harder for Itachi. He had become very fond of the Uchiha from a young age and he knew of all the things he had gone through; starting from the Third Shinobi War and the key role that his parents had played, to his becoming a Chūnin just recently. His parents' mysterious disappearance and true whereabouts during the war were classified information, but he was certain that Itachi at least suspected what had really happened all those years ago; he was a genius after all. He noticed that Itachi had stopped walking and when he turned back to look at him he saw how torn the young boy looked. He had never seen him so vulnerable.

"Will you… watch over her Hokage-sama? I mean… when the time comes?" It had taken so much effort for him to just voice that request.

The Hokage smiled sadly at Itachi and he suddenly appeared a lot older, as if in that moment all the weight he had been carrying and the burden of the situation reflected on his face. "You don't even have to ask." Almost instantly Itachi seemed at peace with himself.

They continued the rest of the way in silence and when they reached the Hokage tower, instead of walking into his office they passed it and headed towards the stairs that led to the rooftop. Sarutobi looked over his shoulder at Itachi, "Come, there are some things we need to discuss." Itachi obediently followed.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

The first day had gone by rather slowly to his liking. Their sensei of course started with the basic introduction: what was to be expected of them, what they would do their first year, and an activity to get to know each other that had taken up the rest of the morning. It was supposed to be quick, but Naruto and some weird kid with red triangles on his face kept on arguing making the activity just drag on. _What was his name? Inuzuka…? _Beyond that he couldn't remember anybody else's name, and not that he cared. If he absolutely needed to know their names he'd just ask Hinata.

After that came lunch time and he couldn't have hated it more. It was supposed to be just him and Hinata, but that Uzumaki kid had decided to stalk them until Hinata had felt bad enough to invite him to join them. There went his plans of spending time alone with her and sharing their lunch between just the two of them. Their lunch for two quickly turned into a lunch for three and although he hoped this was a one time thing, he quickly found out that they would spend many of their lunches like they did.

_Sasuke had had enough and decided that they would eat their lunch away from all the other kids. During class, the other girls would stare at Sasuke intensely and whisper things like: "He's so cute!" or "That's Sasuke Uchiha! He's so cool!" or "What's he doing sitting next to that girl with the weird eyes?" For it being the first day— the first half of the day— he had already become pretty annoyed. Naruto had decided to sit right behind them and he had caught the blonde staring at Hinata several times. He fought the urge to just turn around and call him out on it. So as soon as they were let out for lunch, he all but dragged Hinata out of the classroom before anybody gathered up enough courage to talk to them._

_He quickly became aware that Naruto had decided to follow them, and when Sasuke turned around to look at him he saw that he was eying the bento box his mom had prepared for them. Hinata turned around and saw it too. She turned to look at Sasuke as if she were asking him for permission, silently pleading with him. He knew her too well and could tell what she was thinking so he frowned at her. When they were outside he quickly spotted the perfect tree and walked over hoping Naruto would stop following them. Once they were seated and Hinata started to unwrap the bento, he saw that Naruto was sitting not too far from them under another tree. He was looking intently at them and was eying the now fully displayed masterpiece his mom had made with hunger. Hinata noticed it as well, and turned to Sasuke with a pleading look. Sasuke stayed quiet for a moment, she was just too nice for her own good, then he sighed in defeat. Hinata smiled warmly at him glad that she had won._

"_U-Uzumaki-san…" She called to him questioningly. He all but leapt to his feet when he heard her soft voice and walked over._

"_Y-yes, Hinata-san?" There went that stutter again. He wondered if he really did stutter or if it was __just Hinata that made him nervous._

"_Would you l-like to j-join us for l-lunch? Okā-san p-packed us p-plenty of food to share with you and still h-have enough." She smiled at him and Naruto scratched the back of his neck nervously._

_Sasuke almost growled in annoyance when Naruto was still just standing there looking back and forth between the two of them. "Just sit down and eat with us already, we saw you eying the food so you must be hungry." He sounded as irritated as he felt by the whole thing._

_Naruto flinched at his tone and sat down on the other side of Hinata leaving her in the middle. "Arigatō Hinata-san and Sasuke-san." He was now blushing lightly and when Hinata saw it she giggled quietly. She then started to distribute the lunch equally in three parts and they gave their thanks for the food. After taking the first bite, Naruto exclaimed rather loudly, "This is really good!" His outburst earned him another giggle from Hinata._

_Sasuke replied rather annoyingly, "Of course its good okā-san makes the best food. Doesn't yours make good food too?" _

_Naruto's cheerful expression disappeared in an instant and dropped his gaze to his lap. "I-I don't have one… both of my parents died when I was real young." Sasuke swallowed almost audibly, __**No parents? How… why? **__Next to him Hinata let out a small gasp, she then put her small hand on top of his. She waited for him to look up at her and when he finally did there were unshed tears in her eyes._

"_Okā-san died when I was little too, when my sister Hanabi was born so she doesn't remember her." She briefly shook her head to stop herself from crying. "But Sasuke's okā-san has been one for my sister and me. She's taken care of us since we were little."_

"_I… I don't have anybody like that." Naruto then laughed to try and clear the mood that was quickly falling on the three of them. "It's okay though Hinata-san, I don't remember anything about them. I don't even know what they look like." He looked a little sadder when he made that confession. They stayed quiet for a little bit longer, their thoughts revolving on the same subject, when Sasuke cleared his throat and they all snapped out of it. _

_Hinata gave Naruto a smile that brightened up her whole face. "W-well, p-please eat your lunch U-Uzumaki-san. We'll be going back to class soon." Naruto nodded and smiled back. They spend the rest of their lunch in silence; the only way Hinata and Sasuke knew to show their condolences to this new stranger that would quickly become their friend._

When they arrived home after their first day at the Academy, they found Mikoto cleaning the kitchen. After she heard their footsteps behind her she turned around to greet them. "How was your first day? Did you make any new friends?" She saw Sasuke stiffen slightly and Hinata smile shyly back at her. She raised her eyebrow slightly at them, _Oh, this I want to hear about. _It was sure to be interesting.

"Hai _okā-san_ we met somebody today." She glanced at Sasuke who just turned away from her and looked at the floor. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki, you said…" She mused out loud; indeed this would be interesting. She never thought they would befriend him of all people especially on their first day. It seems Kami had placed them in each others' path. _If only they knew. _Her smile became more prominent.

"Hai and he ate lunch with us today." A saddened expression came across Hinata's face. "Okā-san… he doesn't have any parents. He's all a-alone." She almost cried again just thinking about how lonely he must be. Losing one parent was hard enough, but not having either and not even remembering them? It must be unbearable.

Mikoto walked over to Hinata and knelt down to be at the same level as her. "I know Hina-chan, I know." She ran her hands through the midnight blue hair she loved so much; it was still in that same boyish, pixie-like, hime style she had it in when she was younger. At this both Hinata and Sasuke looked at her with a questioning look.

"You know?" Hinata asked a little confused and Sasuke was now giving her an odd look. "Do you know Naruto, okā-san?" Her eyes suddenly widened when she came to a conclusion. "Did you know his parents?"

Mikoto didn't say anything for what seemed like minutes. She wanted to tell them the truth, but she couldn't say anything— not yet— it wasn't _allowed_. She finally shook her head, "No Hina-chan I didn't meet his parents." She knew they didn't believe her especially Sasuke, but they didn't question her and for that she was grateful. Mikoto quickly tried to change the subject, "Why don't you go outside and play with Hanabi-chan while I finish in here? Then we can all go to the lake together." She smiled at her but it was too tight and it revealed her inner turmoil.

Hinata nodded and gave her a tight hug, somebody not having parents was a touchy subject for her. She briefly glanced at Sasuke, communicating in that silent way they often did, before she made her way towards the back of the house. Sasuke stayed behind and gave her an unreadable look; he was becoming more like Itachi each and every day. He approached her when she was fully standing. "Okā-san, can you make us a little bit more for lunch tomorrow than you did today? We get really hungry by the time lunch comes around."

His question caught her off guard as she was expecting him to probe for an answer, but she regained her composure quickly and nodded. After her conformation he walked off to meet up with the Hyūgas. When his back was towards her she smiled knowingly. Her son had a good heart although at times he'd try to hide it and did it in his own way. No doubt the lunch would be shared amongst the three of them. _I think things are going to turn out alright Kushina…_

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _Okay so I had to end things there. Sorry! I wanted to make it longer, but then it really wouldn't flow. The next chapter won't take nearly as long to be out as this one did. The longer I wait to get a chapter out the harder it gets to write it since I lose my inspiration… Things are gonna pick up from here. I know it's a SasuHina pairing, but it will focus on one other main pairing. A happy face goes out to the ones that already know who it is! To be honest there will be other ones, but I won't focus on them as much… maybe one other one… that's it no more! Anyway, please review! Love you all for taking the time to read my story!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	8. Pull On the Strings Of Your Martyr

_**A/N:**_ I'm so happy! You guys like my story! I'd like to thank SasuHina4evr and blackirishawk for their reviews, you guys are awesome. I'd like to give a virtual smiley face to 4Evr.-A.-fAIlUrE for guessing who my other pairing is!

I forgot to say in the last chapter that Itachi and Hanabi have a very strong sibling kind of love for each other at this point, she's still very young and he's five years older than her. Just to give you guys a heads up, this will be the turning point in the story, well one of the first ones, so this chapter is lengthy. So if at any point you get lost, or have any questions feel free to let me know. PMs are also welcome.

This takes place a year after the last chapter, and I'm not gonna over think about the exact time because then I'll just get myself confused… so let's not get into that. Please keep in mind that their ages are not the same as in the manga/anime. As a side note, am I the only one that has a hard time with the spacing between paragraphs? It never looks like I want it to and just bothers me to no end.

_**Rating:**_ **M** for violence.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto. Devastating, I know, but I have come to accept it.

Title for this chapter and lyrics courtesy of Trivium because they are just that awesome.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Pull Harder on the Strings of your Martyr<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

_Shattering the skies above_

_I want to destroy all that you love_

_Shattering the skies above_

_I won't rest 'til I'm drenched in blood._

-"Shattering the Skies Above" by Trivium

†††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††† 

He sped through the forest, leaping from branch to branch at top speed as fast as his now aching and burning legs could carry him. His mind was occupied solely on the goal of getting to his beloved village; he felt a sudden and overwhelming distress that only served to ignite his desperation. His mission to Yugakure had lasted longer than he felt necessary, and although he had completed it a day earlier than expected, it still felt like he had wasted time, precious time he no longer had. He had been relieved the Hokage had assigned him a solo mission and that had only helped complete the mission a lot sooner; he worked better and faster alone after all.

He could feel that his body wanted to give in to the exhaustion; he had pushed himself well beyond his limits. He had hardly slept in the past several days and now he was rushing back home with no rest. His aching body only added to the uneasiness he already felt and only spurred him on to push harder. He was almost there, he could feel it, that peace he only felt when he was home… in Konoha. If only his body would cooperate and just hold off a little bit longer so he could see her— so he could see them— then he would be able to rest even if it was only for a moment.

His long, ebony hair was pulled back in a low pony tail at the nape of his neck; he could feel his bangs sticking to his forehead and the sides of his face. His lungs felt as if they were on fire from the exertion he was putting himself through and from trying to breathe enough air into his oxygen deprived body. His sight started to blur and he cursed under his breath, scolding himself for not having enough willpower to just keep going. Suddenly he saw them, the gates to the village welcoming him and he just sped by unseen by the guards at the gate.

There was only one place he had in mind, and he wouldn't stop until he got there. His destination was what had kept him going the whole way. It was on the outskirts of the village and he could see it clearly now. He started to slow as he got closer to the gates; the large compound looked eerie this late at night without the Main and Branch members moving about. He went around towards the back where he knew the room was located. He jumped the fence in one smooth and agile movement then he made his way through the familiar garden. He saw the window was open just like he knew it would be and snuck in noiselessly.

It took him all of a few seconds to get accustomed to the darkness, the outdoor lanterns casting enough light for him to still be able to see the familiar room. When he fully adjusted he looked to his left and that's when he saw her, the one he had _needed_ to see with such desperation. He let out a long breath he didn't know he had been holding and his gaze started to change into something more akin to utter adoration. He took cautious steps forward until he approached the side of her bed where he stopped momentarily. He could hear her soft breathing, indicating she was in a deep sleep. He knelt down next to her bed and leaned in to observe her more closely; wanting to memorize her features so he may never forget them. He was first greeted by her scent, that warm vanilla that he had learned to associate with her. He memorized how the now waist-long, golden brown hair shimmered with the moonlight creeping in through the window. He memorized the features of her lightly tanned face and knew that in a few years' time would turn into the face of a beautiful young woman. He felt her start to stir and started to pull back a little bit. He stopped immediately when he saw her angle her small body in his direction and saw the smile that had reached her lips. She let out a contented sigh and shortly afterward whispered, "Itachi-kun…" He froze at the name that had just left her lips; even in her sleep he would be ever present and he let a smile grace his lips. He leaned forward and lightly ran his fingers through her silky hair, memorizing the feel of it. He then placed a soft kiss on her forehead and lingered there for a second inhaling the warm vanilla scent. He retreated towards the window, and allowed himself to look back once more at the small sleeping form on the bed. If he stayed any longer he would regret leaving her and would second guess himself about what he had— no, _needed_— to do. He looked at Hanabi one more time before Itachi went out the window as stealthily as head come in.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

It was early Sunday morning, and Mikoto awoke with the first of the sun's rays that crept in through her window. She stayed there listening to everything around her; she heard the melodic bird's song welcoming the new day. The house was still quiet and she remembered that Itachi was still on a mission, and he wasn't expected to arrive until tomorrow. Next to her she saw her now fully awake husband smiling and looking at her with love and devotion.

She was a bit startled since she hadn't even felt him wake up, but she gave him a smile and a look that mirrored the same sentiment. "I didn't feel you wake up, Fugaku." She turned her whole body so she was lying on her side facing him and he caressed her face.

"I woke up a few minutes ago, but you were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to bother you." He would occasionally watch her while she slept if he woke up before her, admiring the beautiful woman he had fallen in love with, the mother of his two sons.

She smiled warmly at him and placed her hand on his chest to caress him. "That's very considerate of you." She leaned against his chest and listened to his heartbeat, she could spend hours just listening to it. She suddenly felt uneasy and she couldn't explain it. Mikoto held on to him more tightly and did not want to let go.

Fugaku felt her uneasiness when she squeezed him tightly; he placed his hand under her chin gently and angled her face until she faced him. "Mikoto, is something wrong?" He saw fear flash in her eyes and he truly became concerned for his wife.

She focused on his eyes and she felt her eyes sting with the threat of shedding tears. "I don't know Fugaku… I- I have this bad… feeling. I don't know how else to describe it. I-" she held on to him tighter as she sought the comfort of his chest and hid her face on it. "Everything will turn out fine? Won't it?" The tears that had threatened to fall now did so freely.

Fugaku placed his hand on her head and touched her comfortingly. "Yes, Mikoto everything will turn out fine. We've known this day would come. You must have faith." He wouldn't admit it to her in the state she was in now, but he felt uneasy too.

"But what if something goes wrong? What if-" she couldn't complete her statement as she began to tremble in his embrace.

"It will all work out," he said gently but firmly as he got her to look at him once again. When his eyes finally met hers they softened. "I'll be with you every step of the way. I love you, Mikoto. I have loved you since that day I first saw you and I always will." He kissed her gently conveying his love for her.

"I love you, too Fugaku. I know how you feel; I've felt the same way about you since the day we met. My love for you has only grown over the years and I'm glad we're in this together." She ran her hands through his dark hair and kissed him fervently; their heated kiss quickly escalated as they conveyed their love as if it were the last time.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Sasuke opened his eyes after a night of restless sleep when he heard faint rustling noises next door. Excited, he got out of bed; he knew that more than likely Itachi was back from his mission. He ran to the bathroom and freshened up before running to his brother's room. When he stood in the doorway he saw his big brother's back; he was getting his bag ready and he immediately felt his heart sink. Itachi would be going on another mission; he was really starting to hate his brother being in ANBU if it was gonna be this demanding of him. He would barely get back from a mission when he'd get assigned to another that took even longer than the last. They hadn't even been able to train like they would before and it bothered him greatly. Hanabi would see more of his brother than he would and even that wasn't a lot.

"Ohayō otouto, how long do you intend to keep standing there just looking at me?" He asked without even looking at him. His brother was good; no wonder he had made it into ANBU so soon after passing his Chūnin Exams.

"Ohayō aniki, I was wondering if you could help me with shuriken training today." He asked hopefully and he saw his brother just look at him blankly. "Uh… well, we haven't trained together in a while since you're always away on missions it seems like… and that dobe always wants to train with me. He just wants to show off in front of Hinata to prove he's better than me; it's still training but— it's not the same. Training with Naruto, I mean. We all know you're the best with shuriken…" He let the sentence trail off and fidgeted as he waited for Itachi's response.

Itachi smiled at Sasuke and beckoned him forward with his hand. Sasuke not wanting to disappoint his big brother eagerly walked towards him and stopped when he was right in front of him. Itachi lifted his hand and tapped him on his forehead with his index and middle finger. "Sorry Sasuke, maybe next time." His once amused smile turned sad.

"Aniki that hurt! Why do you always do that? You always tell me 'next time' but you never have time. You tell me 'today Sasuke' but you never go through with it." He was rubbing his forehead and was pouting slightly at being turned down by Itachi yet again.

"Next time Sasuke," was all Itachi said after Sasuke's little tirade. "I don't have time today." He finished preparing his bag and set it against the wall next to the door. "Don't you have something planned for today? It's the weekend you should spend it with Hinata and Naruto instead of training. You can't train all the time Sasuke, even I need time to relax sometimes." Sasuke liked to spend as much of his free time as he could training and that wasn't healthy for someone his age. He would like for his brother to enjoy his childhood as much as he could, and he was glad his brother had Hinata and Naruto to help him.

Sasuke looked at his older brother and frowned. "Yes, I was gonna invite Hinata whether we trained or not, but now I'm sure Naruto will want to come along. I guess it won't hurt if we just hang out today." He still sounded unconvinced. Sasuke saw Itachi stand up and head for the door. "What do you have planned for today aniki?" He followed his brother's movements until he stopped at the door to answer him.

Itachi looked over his shoulder at Sasuke, "I have to take care of some things before I leave for my last mission." His voice sounded low and a bit nostalgic.

Sasuke caught on immediately to what he had said and his eyes widened, "Your last mission? What do you mean by your 'last mission' Itachi?" His voice reflected his growing panic.

His eyes narrowed slightly before he answered, "My last mission before I become ANBU captain."

Sasuke's eyes widened more, as if it were even possible, and he stood there frozen. He didn't know if he should be happy for his brother or sad because he knew that now he'd see even less of him. "C-captain? Itachi do okā-san and otō-san know?" Itachi nodded slowly.

Sasuke stood still not knowing what else to say. Itachi walked over to him and shocked him even more by hugging him. It was a bit awkward, as they weren't used to expressing their brotherly love towards each other physically, and Sasuke stiffened before hugging him back. Itachi knew what bothered his little brother about the situation; he had always been able to read him like an open book. "I'll always be there for you otouto, even if it's just as an obstacle for you to overcome. That's what big brothers are for."As quickly as he had embraced him, Itachi let him go, and the rarity that had just occurred was quickly gone leaving Sasuke in a slight state of shock.

By the time he had gone through what had just happened in his head, Itachi was gone and Sasuke just looked at the place where his big brother had been standing. He couldn't shake away the bad feeling that had now crept up on him; Itachi had been acting very strange lately. In a way he understood why, his best friend Uchiha Shisui had committed suicide several weeks back and the way in which they had found out was not very pleasant. He remembered that day had started much like this one had; Sasuke had asked Itachi to help him with his training and Itachi had turned him down again with his trademark poke on the forehead and a "Sorry Sasuke, maybe next time." Then they had been interrupted by a loud banging on their door by three members of the Police Force. They had a bad attitude towards his brother from the beginning, demanding to know why he had not showed up to "the meeting", as they had put it. His brother, of course, kept his cool and merely told them he had been on a mission of utmost importance and therefore could not be present. They then let him know that two people had not been present, him and Uchiha Shisui. It had apparently been ruled a suicide since they found a suicide note which they showed to his brother. Sasuke did not know the exact contents of the note, but knew that whatever was in it only served to convince the Police Force that it was forged and Shisui had been murdered. That and they had outright accused his brother of committing the crime.

Sasuke watched as his brother lost his composure and attacked the three men, defeating them easily. From where he was standing he could see his brother had activated his Sharingan and he had never before felt afraid of his brother like he did in that moment. He had never seen Itachi engage in a fight. The things he had said to them were things that he would not forget. _"Don't judge others simply by your preconceptions and judgments about their appearance. You assumed that I have patience. The clan, the clan; you all fail to measure your own capacity, and to see the depth of my capacity, and as a result you lie beaten here…. You hold onto the organization, your clan, your name… these things limit us and limit our capacities… these things deserve to be shunned. It is foolish to fear what we've yet to see and know!"*_

When his father arrived he called his absence at the meeting into question as well. _"In order to reach __the height of my capacity… I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan. You forget what is most important to you because you cling to something small like your clan. True change cannot be made if it is bound by laws and limitations, predictions and imagination…"* _that had been Itachi's answer. The other clan members became outraged at his outburst and demanded an arrest be made. In a moment of panic, Sasuke called out to his brother to stop and that had been what made his brother come back to him. What had happened to his brother? Why was he acting this way when it was Itachi who had told him not too long ago the importance their clan had played in the founding of Konoha, and that it was their clans' duty to protect the village much like it had been that of their ancestors before them? He had sounded like he was proud of his clan, proud to be an Uchiha. What had happened to change that?

As his father walked away from Itachi, he saw his brother turn to look at his retreating back with something akin to rage. What had surprised him the most was that in his rage filled eyes, Sasuke had been able to see his Sharingan turn into something else. The three tomoe that comprised the Sharingan had been replaced by a pinwheel; that Sharingan had scared him. He had never seen anything like it. When he asked his father several days later if there were different types of Sharingan he had been surprised, but he had told him that there were. He told him there was a higher level of Sharingan, the Mangekyō Sharingan, and that in the long history of the Uchiha only a few had been able to achieve the legendary Sharingan. _"It is said that it can only be achieved under special conditions." _

Is that what his brother had achieved— the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan? Sasuke knew what he had seen was no normal Sharingan. He couldn't help but worry about his big brother, he knew something plagued him and he hoped that it would soon come to pass. He let out a deep sigh as he longed for that distance between them to close. _Aniki…_

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

It was still very early in the morning, not many people were out roaming around in the village and the first shops were beginning to open. He had left the Uchiha compound and was now making his way through the almost deserted Konoha streets to the Hyūga compound. He knew the Hyūgas were early to rise, so his being there at this hour would not be a problem. He took a little longer than usual to get there, relishing the scenery of the village. It was funny how he hadn't paid much attention to it before, but his village was very beautiful. Everything was so beautiful year round, all four seasons were very distinguishable and that was a distinct characteristic of his village. He inhaled deeply and let out the air slowly; there was no place like Konoha and it had taken him going to all these missions so far away from home to realize it.

When he arrived at the gate he was greeted by a Branch member he had become familiar with over the years. "Ohayō gozaimasu_,_ Itachi-sama," he greeted.

"Ohayō gozaimasu_,_ Keigo-san. Is Hiashi-sama awake already?" He asked already knowing the answer.

Keigo smiled knowingly, "Hai Itachi-sama, he has been up since before the sun came up," he paused before he spoke again. "Hanabi-sama is awake as well. She and Hinata-sama are in the garden picking tomatoes for Sasuke-sama."

Itachi nodded, "Arigatō, Keigo-san." The Branch member had become accustomed to his visits over the years and knew that he came over for one person mainly, and that was to either visit or pick up Hanabi. He walked inside making his way towards Hiashi's study. He knew he had to greet the clan head first and ask him for permission to take Hanabi out for the day; she was only six after all.

Once he stood in front of the door, he knocked and waited to be let in. Behind the door he heard the clan head's voice instructing him to come in. Itachi closed the door behind him before he walked up to his desk and bowed with a "Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi greeted him in return. "How was your mission Itachi? Everything turned out well as is expected?" Nothing less could be expected of Itachi.

"Hai Hiashi-sama, it was only a reconnaissance mission, nothing too difficult." He answered truthfully.

"Are you here to visit Hanabi?" He knew the answer to that as well.

"Actually Hiashi-sama, I was hoping you would allow me to take her out to the village. I told her I'd take her out when I got back from my mission." Hiashi knew all too well about the little arrangement between the two. Whenever Itachi would go on a mission, she'd make him promise to take her out for ice cream and spend the day with her whenever he would get back. He had been present on many occasions and seen her pout until she got what she wanted. If he didn't know Itachi, he could have said that it was a tedious task for the eleven year old, but he knew that he enjoyed their time together as much as she did.

Hiashi nodded his consent to the Uchiha prodigy. He didn't say anything more and Itachi took that as a dismissal from the Hyūga. "Arigatō, Hiashi-sama." He stood up and started to make his way out.

"Itachi-" Hiashi called out to him and he turned around to look at the older man. In that brief moment their gaze met, they were able to understand each other. Hiashi could almost feel everything Itachi was feeling: the confusion, despair, anger, longing, and regret… so much to bear for one as young as him. Itachi understood Hiashi in turn, and felt that at least something would be taken care of. He had an ally in the Hyūga clan head and that comforted him greatly. There was no further exchange of words, but nothing needed to be said. Itachi turned around and left with some much needed peace of mind.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Before he reached them he heard their soft voices, and he stopped a distance away to observe them. He loved them both dearly, he considered them the sisters he never had and was very protective of them. Out of the two he had always been closer to one more than the other; her presence had been a constant in his life since he met her. He could still remember the day he met her clearly. He had been captivated by her unique white-silver eyes. From that day on, she had become incredibly attached to him and aimed to be like him when she grew up. Over time her charming and caring personality had won him over completely. Hanabi and Hinata had similar personalities; they were both very caring and compassionate, but while Hinata was very shy and quiet Hanabi was more outgoing and playful.

"Onee-chan, we have enough tomatoes for Sasuke-nii, don't you think you're over doing it?" He could detect a hint of annoyance in Hanabi's voice.

"There's no such thing as 'enough tomatoes' for Sasuke, Hanabi-chan. You should know that already." Hinata was oblivious to Hanabi's displeasure and continued to pick tomatoes.

Hanabi sighed and crossed her arms, "Please hurry up, onee-chan! I want to go see if Itachi-nii is back from his mission already. By the time you finish he'll have gone on another mission!" Her irritation was escalating at a rapid rate and Itachi tried not to laugh at her expense.

He decided it was time for him to reveal himself and silently made his way to the Hyūgas. "Who's going on another mission?" Even though he tried he couldn't stop the smile that had appeared on his lips.

Hanabi's face instantly lit up at the sound of his voice and ran towards him. "Itachi-nii!" She collided with him and embraced him tightly while he returned the gesture. "When did you get back? I missed you!"

He couldn't help but laugh, he got the same reaction from her every time he came back. "I came back last night. I have permission from your father to take you out for that ice cream I promised you." When she finally let him go, Hinata gave him a hug in greeting, not as enthusiastic as the one that Hanabi had given him but she was just as glad to see him. "Sasuke mentioned something about spending the day with you and Naruto-kun. They should be over soon to pick you up."

At the mere mention of Sasuke's name her smile brightened up and she nodded fervently. "Naruto-kun has wanted to go swimming at this new place he found hidden in the forest and he's been trying to show it to us for some time. Sasuke-kun always wants to train so he keeps on putting it off, but maybe today we can finally convince him to go." She suddenly thought of something and started to walk off. "Maybe I should prepare a picnic basket just in case we go. See you later, Itachi-nii! Have fun Hanabi-chan and listen to nii-san!" She ran off inside the house with the basket of tomatoes.

Hanabi slipped her hand in Itachi's making him look at her. "Are you ready to go Hanabi-chan?" He asked in that soft tone he always spoke to her in. Hanabi simply pulled him slowly in the direction of the gates.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

As they walked through the village together he could feel eyes on them; never leaving them and boring holes unto their backs. The people in the village were still not used to seeing them together and whenever they were out in public it was always like this. He did, however, promise her he'd take her out and that had been the only reason why he would put up with the looks and the whispers as they passed by. It would only be for a little while after all, and then he could take her for a walk through the forest or better yet, they could go back to their house and spend the rest of the day in their garden or out at the lake. That seemed more appealing at this moment.

Itachi and Hanabi had walked into several stores throughout the morning; they all sold a variety of items but most had been clothing and jewelry stores, in the end they all served the purpose of just passing the time. They walked into a jewelry story that had caught their attention for it was hidden away and neither had noticed before. Hanabi happily skipped inside the store with Itachi trailing behind her.

Almost immediately he noticed that the pieces sold here were very different from the ones he had seen at previous stores, all the jewelry sold elsewhere looked exactly the same to him. Hanabi must have noticed as well since he could hear appreciative "oohs" and "ahs" coming from her. An older man around his father's age greeted them but did not follow them throughout the store and he appreciated that, unlike at other places where they had been stalked throughout the store by sales people.

Hanabi pressed her face and small hands against a display case at the back of the store. The owner noticed something had caught her attention and walked behind the counter as Itachi walked over next to Hanabi. When the man noticed what had caught her attention he smiled appreciatively. "Ah, that's a beautiful choice indeed. You have fine tastes little one."

Her smile was wide as she looked over at him, "It's beautiful, Itachi-nii!" She was pointing at a lotus blossom necklace.

Realization struck the older man and it was visible. He bowed as he turned towards him. "Please forgive me Uchiha-sama I did not know it was you." The whole village knew about the Uchiha heir even if they had only heard of him. Itachi felt slightly uncomfortable, he didn't like the older man bowing to him even if he was the heir. The man straightened and looked over at Hanabi paying closer attention to her. He recognized her Hyūga eyes and her unmarked forehead and smiled warmly. "This lotus pendant is a one of a kind piece. You won't find it anywhere in the village or anywhere else for that matter. The lotus blossom is very symbolic for it represents elegance, beauty, purity and grace."

Itachi looked more closely at the necklace and saw that it was made from sterling silver. The lotus blossom itself was very shiny and had beveled edges, and the chain was a delicate diamond cut ball chain. He could see why she would like it for it was very beautiful in its simplicity. He could see Hanabi looking longingly at it and the older man looking back and forth between the two.

Hanabi stood up straight and looked at the owner of the store. "It's a very beautiful necklace." She walked away and then turned to Itachi with a bright smile. "Let's go get that ice cream Itachi-nii!"

He walked over to her and reached into his pocket. "Why don't you go get us some ice cream cones, Hanabi-chan? I'll be right behind you." He handed her the money to pay for them. She didn't think twice about it and walked across the street.

He looked at her retreating form, making sure she did not come back then walked back to where the older man was standing. He was now smiling at the Uchiha knowingly. "How much do you want for that necklace?"

The older man stayed quiet for a moment before answering him. "Nothing," he said simply and Itachi looked at him questioningly. "It's on the house, Uchiha-sama." Itachi was about to protest but the man cut him off. "I can see she is very special to you," he explained. Was he that obvious, he wondered? He saw the man open the glass case and take out the necklace— it looked even more breathtaking up close. He then took out a small wooden box and placed it carefully inside before handing it to him. "A one of a kind piece for a one of a kind girl," he said wisely. "Take care of her, Uchiha-sama." The store owner bowed once again to Itachi.

Itachi bowed slightly in thanks to the man, "Arigatō—" he paused waiting for a name.

"Matsumoto Hiroshi," he answered.

"Arigatō Matsumoto-san." In any other circumstance he would have felt annoyed at the brazenness the older man had in saying what he had to him, but he couldn't feel that way towards him. Something about him made Itachi feel at ease; the store owner was a very wise man. The necklace was something Hanabi had really wanted, he had seen it very clearly, and he knew she would never ask him to buy it for her. She was never demanding. He put the small wooden box inside his pocket before walking away from the older man. He would never forget Matsumoto Hiroshi.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

After having a very interesting lunch with his parents he decided to walk to the lake and spend some more time with Hanabi before taking her home. He was carrying her piggy-back and she was very content, the constant smile on her face being a dead giveaway. They had passed the wisteria tree and the old gazebo a while back. They were walking down the dirt pathway towards the lake with the countless Japanese maples on either side of them; the leaves had now turned a bright shade of red, the indication that it was fall in Konoha.

Hanabi looked around her, admiring the beauty of nature surrounding them. She leaned her head against Itachi's back and gripped his neck a little more tightly, the smile gone from her face. "Itachi-nii…" she asked tentatively. He answered with a soft grunt. "Now that you're an ANBU captain— I…" She trailed off not knowing whether she should say anything and Itachi patiently waited for her to get her thoughts in order. "I'm going to see you even less." It was meant more as a statement.

He knew that would bother her and he hated it. There was nothing he could do. They continued to walk in silence until they reached the edge of the lake and he put her down gently. They sat down on the grass and looked out to the lake. It was getting late and the sun was beginning to set. It was peaceful and quiet except for the rustling of tree branches with the wind. She still looked sad and was very quiet with her eyes fixed in the direction of the lake, not really focused on anything in particular.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small wooden box. He took out the necklace, unclasped it, and put it around her neck. Startled she held on to his arm and looked down at her neck. She let out a small gasp and her eyes widened with recognition. "Itachi-nii— when— why?" She couldn't even form a coherent sentence and he smiled warmly at her.

"I knew you loved it when you first saw it and I know you would have never asked for it, so I decided to get it for you." She started to protest and he added, "Think of it as an early birthday gift if you want to." He paused before adding, "It's true— as an ANBU captain I will be assigned more missions and some will take longer than others. I want you to have that and at least in some way you'll have something that reminds you of me while I'm gone. Then maybe you won't miss me as much."

Her eyes watered and she hugged him tightly. He could hear her sniffling on his chest, "Arigatō Itachi-nii I'll _never_ take it off." And he believed her; she didn't take people's kindness towards her well and didn't like receiving gifts from her loved ones. She didn't like things handed to her and liked to work hard and earn everything that she had. It was something they had all learned long ago, and it was one of the many characteristics she shared with Hinata.

He couldn't tell her that Matsumoto had not allowed him to pay for the lotus necklace and it had been a gift from him to them, or else she really wouldn't accept it. Maybe one day when she was older he'd tell her, once he knew she wouldn't be able to part with it. She leaned against him and he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He wrapped an arm around her small shoulders as together they watched the twilight fade.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

It had been late by the time he walked Hinata back to the Hyūga compound, and Hanabi had already been home for a while. When he asked her about Itachi she had told him he'd had to go meet with the Hokage before leaving on his mission and had dropped her off shortly after the sun had set. He walked home alone although Naruto had insisted he should walk with him. He could only stand the boisterous blonde for short periods of time; anything longer than that and he'd have an overwhelming headache much like he had now.

As he approached the gates to the Uchiha District he started to feel uneasy. He wasn't greeted by a mob of fan girls at the entrance like he usually was. It was late but there should still have been people out and about at this time of night and there had been no one guarding the gate. He continued to walk through the familiar street that would take him home and his uneasiness slowly began to increase. It was dark, too dark, and he had yet to see an Uchiha around. The lamp posts were unlit and the only visible light was the one given off by the full moon creating even more shadows.

At the center of the shopping district within the compound he was greeted by a horrible sight. There were dozens of Uchiha lying in the street, their lifeless bodies covered in blood. He quickly panicked as he was able to recognize some of them, his aunt and uncle lay among the dead. The only thing he could think about was to run home— his parents at the forefront of his thoughts— he could vaguely remember Itachi preparing for another mission in the morning and hoped he was long gone. He continued to run down the streets and his panic only grew. There were many more bodies strewn about and he had to dodge them. Doors to homes were wide open, some were hanging off the hinges, and he could see even the people in their homes had not been safe. Women and children were massacred; whoever had committed this atrocity had not discriminated.

After what seemed an eternity he finally reached his home. Everything was pitch black and that terrible thing he had been feeling only grew exponentially. "Okā-san! Otō-san!" He barged into the different rooms of their home calling out to them, hoping to find them but afraid of what he would find. _Kami __please let them not be here! Let them be anywhere else but here!_

When he reached the furthermost room in the house he called out to them and paused. He heard shuffling and then he heard her. "Sasuke, don't come in!" _Ok__ā__-san_. All rational thought gave way to panic that she was home yet relief that she was alive. He slid the door open and barged in.

He could see his parents with the moonlight seeping in through a window. They were on their knees and they had their hands behind their back, they had never looked so helpless. He shifted and began to make his way towards them but stopped immediately after when his father spoke up. "No, Sasuke! Don't come any closer! Run!" He had never heard his father like that much less seen him in that state, he looked as distraught as he felt.

Then from behind them something moved and caught his eye. The shadow stepped forward and that's when he saw him. _No! How- how can this be!_ "Itachi?" Is this some sort of trick? Is this really Itachi standing in front of him? _He's away on a mission! _"Aniki- how… why are you here?" Then realization hit him hard. _"Run!"_ that had been the desperate plea from his father. _"Don't come in!"_ his mother had begged. He felt his body trembling and couldn't stop it. "Aniki no… please tell me this is some mistake… did you kill them?" But somehow he already knew the answer.

He saw Itachi lift his katana and his eyes widened in horror. Time seemed to have stopped and he could not move. Itachi's sword swung and cut across his parents back. He saw the crimson liquid shoot out in a spurt, a few drops landing on Itachi's face. His parents dropped to the floor, his father landing on top of his mother protectively even in their last moments, their blood joining and making its way towards him. "No, Itachi! Okā-san! Otō-san!" The tears that had been threatening to consume him finally did. "Aniki how _could_ you? You- you killed them! Why? Why aniki?" He felt an immense anger rising to the surface, and as quickly as it came it left him. He felt a stinging sensation on his left arm followed by a "thunk" behind him.

That unmistakable sound had been a shuriken thrown at him by his big brother. His eyes widened and he was glued to his spot, his brother had never attempted to hurt him deliberately. "Foolish otouto," it had been the first time his brother had even acknowledged his presence. He heard Itachi take a deep intake of breath, "Mangekyō Sharingan!"

Then he saw it— the legendary Sharingan— the one he had seen that day and his brother was using it on _him_. All his senses were taken over and he was helpless. He felt himself fall into an abyss he could not get out of. He started to have memories and they were so vivid he felt as if he were experiencing them for the first time. He saw his mother telling him what he had only dreamt of, "_When we're alone you're all he talks about… your father…"_ He saw his father walking away from him on the day he was able to do the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu, telling him what he had long wanted to hear, _"As expected… you are my son…"_ He saw Itachi tapping his forehead with his fingers after he had asked him for help with shuriken training, _"Sorry Sasuke… maybe next time…"_ Then it all turned into screams and all he could see was blood. He lived the massacre and saw it through Itachi's eyes, every life he had taken. Itachi released the jutsu and Sasuke dropped to the floor, only to realize that the screams had been his.

"Why- why Itachi? W-why did you kill them?" He lay motionless on the floor still unable to recuperate from the jutsu.

"It was to measure my capacity." Itachi answered simply and he could see the coldness in his eyes.

"To- to measure your capacity?" _I have lost all hope for this pathetic clan_. "That's the reason why you killed everyone?"

"It was essential." He sounded so _cold_. Where was the caring brother he had known all his life? _Who_ was _this_ Itachi?

"That's complete crap!" Sasuke was able to gather all the energy he had left, stood up, and charged at Itachi. He needed to stop him— to shut him up— he needed to _hurt_ him.

Itachi didn't even flinch and before Sasuke got close enough he stopped him with one hit. Sasuke dropped to the floor once again and when he looked up he was met with the lifeless face of his father. That sent him over the edge. He was able to stand and ran out, "No aniki! I'm scared! I don't want to die!"

He fled his house as fast as his feet could take him. _I_ _have to get out of here! I don't want to die!_ He had to find the way out of the compound and into the village, and then he would be able to find somebody that could help him. "Help! Somebody, please!"

Everything went by in a blur, at the moment he only had a one track mind. He was brought to an abrupt halt when he saw Itachi standing in front of him. He was wearing his ANBU uniform and it looked like his older brother. But it wasn't him. "You- you're not my brother!"

Itachi continued to look at him in that emotionless way, "The brother you knew has done this to measure your… capacity." Sasuke did not want to believe him. "I continued acting like the older brother you so desired and became your companion to see if that same potential lies inside you." This isn't the Itachi he knew. "You found me disagreeable and hated me." _I did not hate you… I never hated you. _"You continued wanting to surpass me, for that I will let you live. For _my_ sake…" _This is a nightmare! It has to be!_ "You can awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan like me— however there is one requirement." What requirement? _"It is said it can only be achieved under special conditions."_ The memory of his father only brought a new onslaught of tears. "You must kill your best friend."

"K-kill your best friend?" Sasuke echoed unable to absorb it. _Uchiha Shisui_. "Aniki did you _kill _him? Did you kill Shisui-san?" He didn't want to know.

"It is thanks to him that I have achieved this Sharingan." _Not more blood on your hands!_ "At the main temple of the Nakano Shrine, on the far side, under the 7th tatami mat is the clan's secret meeting place. There you will find what purpose the doujutsu of the Uchiha originally served."* _Why is he telling me this?_ "The real secret is hidden there. If you open your eyes to the truth— including myself— there will be three people who can handle the Mangekyō Sharingan." Sasuke could only stare at him speechless. "In that case," he smirked, "there would be a reason to let you live." Itachi turned his back towards him. "Right now it would be worthless to kill someone like you. Foolish otouto," he almost sounded like he did when Itachi had been the caring brother he knew. "You've always wanted to surpass me and that's why I'm going to let you live. If you wish to kill me then hate me, _despise_ me— by all means flee, cling to your wretched life." Sasuke was shocked Itachi was not going to kill him. "And some day when you have the same eyes as me… come before me."

Itachi turned back to look at Sasuke and the last thing he remembered was seeing the legendary Sharingan before succumbing to the darkness.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

He jumped from rooftop to rooftop unseen under cover of the night. The complete and utter stillness surrounding him did nothing to put him at ease. He had done it. There was nothing that could be done about it now. He needed to make this final stop. He saw the familiar gates getting closer and closer. He went around through the back, he knew the way in with his eyes closed. When he saw the window come into view he relaxed visibly. He slowed when he was in front of it and hesitated before pulling the sheer curtain aside.

After calming himself he pulled it aside and went in. He looked around him one last time. He wanted to commit everything to memory; the way the room looked and smelled. He walked over to her dresser and saw the picture frames. He felt a tightening in his chest when he paid closer attention. There was one of her mother and father, and another with her, Hinata, and Hiroko, but the ones that really got his attention were the ones she had taken with him. He could clearly remember the days they were taken. There was one of a two-year-old Hanabi and a seven-year-old Itachi sitting on the grass in the Uchiha garden, she was handing him a huge pink peony. It was the second one she had given him and he had saved them all; they were kept safe between the pages in one of his books— that book had been one of the few things he had packed in his bag. There was another of a four-year-old Hanabi being carried on a nine-year-old Itachi's back; she was smiling happily and a rare smile could be seen on Itachi's lips. The last one was a recent one, Hanabi was six and Itachi was eleven, and that one had been taken at the Hyūga compound. Hanabi had been trying to show a new technique she had learned to Itachi and she had been really excited. They had been training most of the morning and they were exhausted. Her technique had gone wrong due to a shortage in her chakra. Itachi had tried to help her balance but they both ended up on the floor, Hanabi had her legs placed uncomfortably on his lap and they ended up in a tangle of legs. She ended up laughing at their new position on the dojo floor and surprisingly Itachi had laughed along with her. It had all been caught on film by a very amused Hiroko.

He slowly made his way to the bed where his "little sister" lay sleeping. He kneeled against the bed and looked at her. The first thing that caught his eye was the lotus pendant for it shined even more in the moonlight. He smiled, she hadn't taken it off even to sleep. He ran his fingers lightly through her silky hair enjoying the feel of it. He leaned in closer, deeply inhaling her vanilla scent and placed his lips close to her ear. "I'll always watch over you imouto, even if you end up hating me," he whispered. "Live a long and happy life. Never forget me, Hanabi-chan." He placed a tender kiss on her cheek and lingered there, not wanting to leave her side. He composed himself before he made his way out of her bedroom.

Hanabi blinked her eyes and opened them. She thought she had been having a dream about Itachi and woke up when she felt moisture on her cheek. She sat up and touched her cheek. Her hand was slightly damp when she removed it. She touched her bed and felt it was still warm, his smell still lingered there; it was one she would never forget since it had been engraved in her memory, it smelled woodsy and warm. She jumped from her bed and ran to her window. She looked out into the night… searching. _Itachi._ She knew he had been there she could still feel him. She was suddenly overcome with a sadness she could not shake.

†††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††† 

_Pull, harder! Strings, martyr!_

'_Stop!' You cry, that's a lie!_

_Flush, gasping, white, reddening_

_You smile and destroy it- it's time that we end this!_

_It's our curse that makes this world so hopeless_

_Allowing our king to spread his genocidal wings._

-"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" by Trivium

†††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††† 

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **_That's the end of chapter eight and I have to say it is my longest chapter yet. It took me a long time to write, and that's because I worked on it every day for extended periods of time since my last update. I might take a break after this chapter since it took a lot of my time. The conversations marked with an * were excerpts borrowed from the manga chapters 222, 224, and 225 so once again credit is given to Kishimoto (as stated above). The title for the chapter was also borrowed from Trivium since I couldn't think of a more fitting title than this. I see Itachi as a martyr and I think several of you will agree with me. I mean no disrespect. Thank you for reading another one of my chapters, and I can only tell you that every chapter I write the longer I want to make this story. I know this is a SasuHina fic, but given the circumstances and the way the story is writing itself it will also be ItaHanabi so I hope you still like it. Please review!

_**-Wyvern**_


	9. Live to Tell the Tale

_**A/N:**_ I want to thank blackirishawk, XxShiro777xX, seri glaze, miaandB, WHITElady043, Cursy-Chan, Saki-Hime, animedabest, 4Evr.-A.-fAIlUrE, Krystiiie, and Lastine for their latest reviews; they all really do motivate me to update as soon as possible! I want to thank everyone that has taken the time to read my stories, these updates would not be possible and this story would probably turn into one of those incomplete stories. I'm sorry it took me so long to update (I think it's been about a month) but plot bunnies have invaded my brain! And so… the end result is the _A Revelation in the Light of Day _series.

_**Rating:**_ **T**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Live to Tell the Tale<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

He slowly opened his eyes and felt disoriented; he could not recognize where he was at. He lay there becoming accustomed to his surroundings. The walls and ceiling were bare white, everything around him smelled sterile and he realized he was in a hospital. He couldn't remember what had happened and why he was there, and he became alarmed. He jerked to a sitting position and immediately regretted it, he felt a stinging sensation on his left arm and when he looked at it he saw his arm was bandaged. When he touched it, his memories came flooding back. He knew who he was. Uchiha Sasuke. He knew he had parents, a brother, two girls he considered his sisters, and a best friend with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

Everything came back at once, like a flood that threatened to take him under, and he relived everything. He saw the lifeless bodies of his clan lying on the streets, he saw the doors to their homes kicked wide open and the blood smeared on them. He remembered running, trying to find his parents, hoping they weren't dead. When he found them he was relieved they were alive, but then he remembered his big brother coming out of the shadows. Then he saw Itachi raise his sword and he slay them right in front of him. He remembered being paralyzed by the horror of the act committed by his brother. Why had Itachi done this? _"It was essential."_

His body began to shake violently, this couldn't be happening, it all had to be some sort of nightmare. He had to find out. He had probably just gotten hurt while he was training with Naruto and the blonde had just knocked him unconscious. Yes, that had to be it. He had to go home and see his parents. He would see his mother in the kitchen making breakfast or cleaning, just like she did every day.

He got out of the bed with difficulty and felt as if he had forgotten how to walk, his legs felt like rubber. It took him a few minutes to become used to standing on his feet again when he saw his clothes neatly folded on a chair and slowly walked towards them. He slowly dressed himself before making his way to the door, he then opened it and peeked out making sure nobody was outside his room. When he didn't see anybody he slipped out and tried to find his way out of the hospital. He had never been there before so it took him a while before he found the main entrance and walked out. As soon as he was out of there he walked as fast as his legs allowed him to and didn't stop until he made it to the Uchiha District.

When he got there he was hit immediately by the silence. Before he even walked in he could feel that the district was deserted, he could feel the emptiness. As he walked he was assaulted by memories of his clans' people going about their business around the district, but the harsh reality was that they were no longer here. He would never hear the children running around asking him to join them in a game, he would never see the adults doing their shopping in the plaza gossiping about the latest news around the village, he would never see them because— they were all _dead_.

The bodies were no longer lying about, but in their place were these dark almost brown stains on the ground, there was no doubt in his mind it was Uchiha blood. He walked until he reached his home, or what used to be his home, and walked in. Out of habit he slipped out of his shoes. The silence was deafening and made his light footsteps even louder. He walked towards the kitchen, half expecting his mother to be there making a meal and she would turn around and greet him with that lovely smile of hers, except she wasn't there and never again would be. The kitchen surfaces were already beginning to collect dust and he wondered how much time had really passed, this much dust would not have accumulated overnight.

He felt that wound he now knew was in the middle of his chest, invisible for all to see but there nonetheless, open even more at the memory of his mother. He was taken over by an all consuming pain that shook him to his core and for a few moments he could not even breathe. When he regained control over his body he walked to his parents' room. On top of the nightstand, on the side where his mother used to sleep, was a picture. It was one of his mother and father when they were several years younger, and his father was hugging her with a small smile on his face. She was blushing and was leaning on to him, she looked extremely happy. He grabbed the picture and lay down on their bed. He clutched it firmly to his chest and he curled up in a fetal-like position. Sasuke broke down and sobbed for the loss of his parents, for the loss of the happiness he once had but had been savagely taken away. All he kept asking himself was why; why him, why his clan? He felt unconsciousness tugging at the back of his mind and he gladly let it take over; it was the only place where he would now be able to hear her voice.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

He dreamt of death and blood. They were the only reminders that he was still alive. He wanted to wake up, he wanted to escape the horror of seeing the Uchiha die over and over again, but he couldn't. He did not want to see his father and his mother die again by his brother's hand but it was inescapable— it was something he would forever see every time he'd close his eyes. Sasuke could hear his mother's voice calling out to him, _"Sasuke."_ He searched for it in the hope that it would lead him to her, _"Sasuke."_ He could see her on her knees next to her father looking at him, pleading silently with her eyes, _"Sasuke."_ Just when Itachi made motion to cut them down he was brought back to reality by a gentle voice.

"Sasuke," the voice was gentle but it wasn't the one he longed to hear, it wasn't his mother's. "Sasuke," she repeated once more.

He focused on the small figure standing next to his bed and finally recognized the short hair in the almost complete darkness. It felt like years since he'd last seen Hinata. He sat up acknowledging her presence but didn't speak up he didn't feel he had the energy to do so. He just felt so empty.

She didn't speak at first as if unsure what to say or if she should say anything at all. "W-we've been looking all over for you. When a medic nin walked into your room to check on you and saw that you had disappeared we thought something bad had happened to you." She paused to wait for his response but received nothing. "When we couldn't find you anywhere I thought you'd be here." He just continued to look at her. "We've all been really worried about you Sasuke… you wouldn't wake up."

He heard her voice crack and felt his chest tighten. He could tell she had been worried and hated putting her through any discomfort but what she said finally sunk in. "What do you mean I wouldn't wake up, Hinata?" He asked speaking for the first time and his voice sounded foreign to his ears. "How long was I unconscious?" He felt his alarm steadily rise. How long had it been since that dreadful day?

Hinata took a step back from the bed before answering. She really didn't know if she should but she feared his reaction at her hiding information from him. Realizing that was something she feared more she told him what he wanted to know, "I-it's been t-three weeks Sasuke. It's been three w-weeks since t-that day." She saw him stiffen when she finished.

"Three _weeks_?" he asked incredulously. It had really been that long? _Three weeks_. As he processed the information another thought occurred to him. If it had been that long since the… massacre… then what had happened to their bodies? He grabbed her by the shoulders on impulse and slowly shook her small body. "Hinata, what happened to my parents? What happened to my clan?"

Hinata stared back at him wide eyed, should she tell him? What would the Hokage think of her revealing things to him, what would her father say? She could almost feel his desperation and she came to the conclusion that his peace of mind was more important. "They- they've all been buried in the Uchiha Cemetery."

Sasuke's grip on her shoulders tightened. Buried? He had missed saying his last goodbye to his parents. He became even more furious at his own weakness for being unconscious for so long that he had missed their funeral. He became more furious at the reminder that it had all been because of Itachi— the brother he had idolized. "What about _him_?"

Hinata knew who he meant and didn't want to answer. She hated being the one to tell him but knew that it had to be her. "He- hasn't been found." Sasuke's grip became tighter. "The Hokage send ANBU in search for him but they haven't found a trace. By the time they found out it had been him he was long gone. He was supposed to be on a mission." He gripped her tighter and she flinched. "Sasuke… you're _hurting_ me," she whispered.

He let go of her immediately unaware of what he had been doing. The only thing on his mind was an immense hatred— hatred he felt for Itachi. How could he have gotten away? Why hadn't anybody caught him and made him pay for what he had done? He killed so many… he killed their parents, their clan. He _had_ to pay. Somebody had to do something_. "__If you wish to kill me then hate __me, despise me— by all means flee, cling to your wretched life."_ It was then that he found the solution… it had to be him. He had to kill Uchiha Itachi. It was _he_ who had to avenge his clan.

Hinata didn't know what to do, she could see Sasuke vaguely in the dimly lit room, and she could see him drifting away from her. She was losing him and that scared her more than anything. She no longer saw the happy and caring Sasuke she knew and loved. All she saw now was this impostor sitting in front of her filled with so much anger and hatred. She did the only thing she felt was right at the moment— she hugged him.

That seemed to bring Sasuke back to reality and she felt him tense under her embrace. He pulled her away from him and saw the tears she was now crying shimmer in the moonlight. Hinata could see the war that was raging in his mind plain as day on his face. Why was he pushing her away?

"I don't want your pity." She felt new tears break free at his cold voice. "I don't need it."

"But Sasuke I-" she wanted to tell him how much she was hurting too but he refused to listen to her.

"Get _out_." She gasped and he tried to pay no mind to it. "I need to be alone." He added with no warmth in his voice.

Hinata recognized the finality in his voice he was leaving her no choice. She looked at him one last time before she ran out of the room not being able to stand the distance he had now created between the two of them.

Sasuke saw her run out and felt the incredible urge to run after her and tell her how much he needed her now more than ever— he needed his friend, his sister— but he didn't follow her. He couldn't. He had to make Itachi pay and he couldn't allow himself any weaknesses and Hinata was a weakness. Itachi had to die by his hand. That night Sasuke's hate for Itachi was so intense that that was when he made the choice to become an Avenger.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hinata ran away from the Uchiha District and into the forest; she felt branches lash out violently at her as she ran but it was the least of her worries. All she knew was that she couldn't go back to the hospital like this, she couldn't let anybody see her this way. She felt hurt at Sasuke's treatment, how could he have brushed her away like nothing? She knew he was hurting she had lost a part of her family too. She'd never see her mother Mikoto again or her second father Fugaku. She still couldn't believe that it had been Itachi who had killed everybody. She couldn't believe that it was her brother who had wiped out an entire clan.

They still hadn't told the truth to Hanabi for fear of her reaction, she had only been told that he was away on a mission and wouldn't be coming back in a long time. It pained her to see her sister miss him and she had noticed the habit she had picked up of touching the lotus necklace Itachi had given her every time she thought of him— which was constantly. Hanabi had only confided in her the gesture Itachi had taken towards her the day of the massacre, which only confused Hinata more. If he was a cold blooded killer then why had he done that for Hanabi on that very same day? He couldn't have been able to fake the feelings he had for them and of that she was sure, but it had been proven that it was Itachi who had committed the massacre.

She needed to stay by Sasuke's side; she needed to show him that he could count on her and she'd never leave him or betray him. They needed to get through this together… all three of them. He had pushed her away tonight but she wouldn't let this bring her down. She would stay there no matter how many times he told her to leave him, for she knew one out of those times he'd need her and want her there. That's what friends were for.

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _I'm so sorry this chapter is so short but it just seemed like I needed to end it there. I know this story has a lot of readers and I am extremely grateful. There will probably be a time skip soon (maybe next chapter?) since there are still a lot of other major events that need to happen. This chapter feels different I had something else in mind while I was writing it but came out completely different in the end. I hope it's still to your liking and expectations. Thank you for reading my story! Let me know what you thought of this chapter please!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	10. A Grey So Dark

_**A/N:**_ Sorry for my absence but I'm extremely happy to say that I'm finally back! Things are on a somewhat back-to-normal schedule and what that means for you is that I can go back to my regular updates! *insert collective cheer* Thank you for the positive feedback I had last chapter even though it was kind of short. I worked on this chapter throughout my short absence I really couldn't help it and just had to keep on writing! I want to thank everybody for their reviews; thank you to the ones that remain constant, the ones that have rejoined me, and the new readers you are all greatly appreciated and loved! Anyway enough of the rambling and let's get on with the story!

_**Rating:**_ **T**

_**Disclaimer:**_ Do not own Naruto, just my imagination and love for the characters Kishimoto so kindly created for our enjoyment.

Title for chapter courtesy of Trivium.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Grey So Dark<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

The silence was deafening; it had become his constant and welcome companion, but now it had become too overwhelming. He had surrendered to it since the death of his beloved Hikari, she alone had been his reason for being, his existence. Yet even when there had been nothing he wanted more than to follow her into that place— that place there would be no return from— he couldn't. She had left him her most cherished treasures: their two daughters and her younger sister. Hiashi knew that if he met an untimely end Hikari would never forgive him, even in the afterlife, which is why he had had to gather the strength to learn to live with the loss of his other half. He learned to live with it for he would never move on or get over it, the pain was too great.

His daughters and sister-in-law became his reason for fighting for that was what his existence had become, a daily fight that became increasingly difficult as the years went by. It had become so for a number of reasons; his eldest daughter was the spitting image of his dead wife and he saw it as some sort of test just to see how long it would take for him to cave with that everyday reminder of that which he had lost. His wife's best friend had come back into their lives to remind him of that promise she had made to her before her passing, to care for her daughters as if they were her own. That led to the Uchiha and Hyūga clan heads making amends and working towards settling the hate between the two clans, a long-standing wish of Hikari's. The clans had not embraced the change so easily, it had been four years since then and nothing had really changed except for the head families. He had developed a strong friendship between the Uchiha clan head and his wife, she in turn had become a surrogate mother for his daughters and they had become attached to their sons to the point the children were inseparable.

In the end it seemed fate did not smile upon the Hyūga or the Uchiha. Tragedy followed them and struck when they were at their happiest and most complacent. The Hyūga and Uchiha would never set things right for the Uchiha were now dead— the entire clan with the exception of two— Sasuke and Itachi. Where had they gone wrong? Why had this happened? Itachi had massacred the entire clan in one night in cold blood. The Uchiha prodigy had turned on them and left only one survivor. That lone survivor had been unconscious for three weeks and had shown no signs of ever waking up. The most gifted of Konoha's medical ninjas had not been able to awaken him, they had only been able to determine he was trapped in a genjutsu, one that surpassed anything they had ever encountered, and it was now all up to him if he would wake up or not.

His eldest had been devastated by the news. She would visit Sasuke every day at the hospital without fail and would spend hours on end at his bedside, hoping for some sign of life from the last Uchiha for that was what he was— the last Uchiha— Itachi had become a rogue ninja, a traitor, a murder. Sasuke had missed his clans' funeral and showed no signs of gaining consciousness. When he had arrived at the hospital with Hinata this morning they had been shocked, upon entering the familiar room they saw no signs of him and had immediately feared the worst. The Hokage had been informed of the situation and ANBU had been dispatched to search for the boy. Hours later Hinata had returned informing them of his whereabouts and of his wishes to be left alone. He had seen her and knew that something had happened between them.

That had all brought him to the current situation he was in. He sat on his chair in the study, alone in the dark, it was late in the night but he made no move to retreat to his bedroom. Sleep evaded him these last few weeks for there were far more pressing matters at hand. He had yet to break the news to Hanabi of what had happened. She hadn't been completely kept in the dark, after a few days of no sign of any of the Uchiha she became alarmed, they had never spend more than a day apart from any of them in the past four years. He had been left with no choice but to tell her of the clans' demise. She of course had not been allowed to attend the funeral it would have been too much for one as young as her. He would roam the halls at night and he could hear her crying softly in her sleep.

Now he had been left with the hardest thing to do, reveal to her that it had been her beloved Itachi who had massacred his clan. He wished with all his heart that he could keep her in the dark, to shelter her from that pain he knew she would never come back from, but he knew he couldn't she had to know. That was the main reason she had not attended the funeral, for fear she would overhear a conversation among the villagers and learn of the atrocity Itachi had committed. However, as the days passed she became more restless and asked for him more and more, wondering what mission was so important that it kept him away for so long. Hiashi knew that it would be worse if she found out later from someone else of what had happened. He would have to tell her.

The following morning he woke up to a light knock on his door and realized he had spent the whole night on his chair. He moved his neck from side to side and noticed the pain in his neck from the uncomfortable position he had been in and wondered how long he had actually managed to sleep. He knew it must not have been long for his body felt like lead. He straightened up a bit to at least look like he had just recently entered the study and not spend the night there.

He cleared his throat. "Come in," he spoke to the person behind the door.

The door opened slowly and revealed a very tired looking Hiroko. She bowed when she stood in front of him. "Ohayō gozaimasu, Hiashi-sama."

"Ohayō, Hiroko." He hadn't noticed how tired and aged his voice sounded. At that moment he felt like he had aged ten years.

Hiroko straightened and glanced at the Hyūga clan head giving him a knowing look. He knew he had been caught and she'd realized he'd spent the night there. "I just wanted to inform you that breakfast will be served shortly. Hinata and Hanabi are getting ready and will be joining us soon." She looked at him worriedly with bright almost silver eyes, silently asking if he was okay. She was now 16 but was much wiser than her age gave her credit for. When had she grown up so much?

He looked at her as if communicating to her not to worry about him and nodded. "I'll be right there." She stayed there for a few seconds waiting for him to request anything else and when he didn't she bowed and made motion to leave. As if her movement snapped him out of whatever stupor he had been in he called out to her. "Hiroko I think it is time." When she looked at him questioningly he clarified. "I need to tell Hanabi the truth. I just want you and Hinata to be present when I do."

She sighed audibly and looked at the ground, this was not going to be easy. "As you wish, Hiashi-sama."

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

"Hanabi, I would like to have a word with you." The Hyūgas had shared their first meal of the day together. To say that it had been awkward would be an understatement, Hinata and Hanabi had been silent the whole time, halfheartedly picking at their food eating it out of habit not from actual hunger. Hiroko had tried to initiate conversation several times but eventually gave up when Hiashi only gave her brief answers.

As soon as they had finished his daughters had started to get up from the table. He had no doubt Hinata would be on her way to see Sasuke, now that he was awake she would not leave his side and that satisfied him, there was no one closer to the last Uchiha than Hinata. Hanabi was a different story— as of late she had completely absorbed herself in training be it with Hiroko, Hinata, or Neji— it was her way of keeping her mind occupied for fear of dwelling on _his_ absence. The deception had gone on long enough he had to tell her or risk having his youngest daughter hate him for the rest of her life if she found out from someone else.

The only indication Hanabi made of hearing his request was of her regaining her former seat. Hinata continued to stand, "I need you to be present as well, Hinata." He told her before she could walk out and she looked back at her father in alarm. Hiashi saw the silent question in her lavender eyes and nodded in understanding he saw her face visibly pale at the knowledge of what he was about to do. He turned to his left and saw that Hiroko had remained at her place and nodded in appreciation.

Unique shades of Hyūga eyes stared back at him questioningly different emotions reflected in each, yet there was one that remained constant, fear— fear of the unknown, of what was to come. He cleared his throat before speaking, unknown to the females he had made an attempt to speak but his voice had failed him, being Hiashi Hyūga he recovered from it immediately and hid it well.

He didn't know where to start being tactful was _not_ one of his strongest suits and he knew this was a very sensitive subject, therefore how he said it was of _extreme_ importance. He knew there was no gentle way of saying what he was about to.

"Hanabi, as you know Sasuke has finally awakened from his coma." He paused to make sure he had her full attention and satisfied he continued. "He is the lone survivor of that night, the only eyewitness as to who committed this crime. The Hokage has been impatiently awaiting his recovery, waiting for any information Sasuke might be able to reveal and shed new light to the ongoing investigation."

Hanabi continued to look at him questioningly but remained silent. "He has confirmed the suspicions the Hokage had and revealed the identity of the— perpetrator." He couldn't say it he couldn't call him a murderer out loud much less in front of his daughter. He looked at Hinata and Hiroko and saw that their gazes were now fully focused on Hanabi.

It was until then that she spoke up after Hiashi remained silent for too long, "_Who_ was it otō-san?"

He focused once again completely on his youngest knowing that what he was about to reveal would forever change her life and scar her. "It was… Uchiha Itachi." He saw the blank look on her face not fully understanding the gravity of what he had said, or perhaps it had not sunk in yet.

Then he saw it— that what he had not wanted to see— he saw the exact moment his youngest daughter broke and it would forever be engraved in his memory. He saw all light leave her white-silver eyes as she finally understood that it was Itachi who had killed his entire clan. She shook her head slowly refusing to believe what her ears had just heard.

"No… no… no… you're _lying_!" She burst out unexpectedly Hanabi had never raised her voice at anyone let alone her father. "You're _lying_!" Her voice cracked as tears broke out and she looked down away from his face. "He's on a mission and he's been gone for three weeks! He said goodbye to me that day…" She looked up at him as if finally understanding what Itachi had been trying to do that last day he had spent with her.

"But you told me- _you_ told me he's been on a mission all this time! You _lied _to me?" Hiashi heard the betrayal in her voice and he felt physical pain at his daughter's disappointment in him. "No- _no_! He couldn't have killed them! He couldn't have killed okā-san or Fugaku-sama! Itachi is not a k-killer!" Hinata had been crying along with Hanabi the whole time and stood up to hold her sister. "Tell him Hinata, tell him it's a mistake… please tell him it's not true…" Her tears had turned into desperate sobs that shook her small body as she let Hinata hold her. "You have to tell him- it can't be."

Hanabi looked at Hiashi and he had to fight his emotions from betraying him, he wanted to weep with her for the immense pain and betrayal she was feeling, no child should have to go through this.

"It must have been somebody else, otō-san. Itachi- he loved them, he _loved_ us he couldn't have done it…" Her small hands were clenched tightly on her lap. "He's away on a long mission but- he'll be back just like he always is. He promised to _always_ come back." She turned to Hiroko and looked at her pleading for her intervention. "Tell him Hiroko-chan, _please_ you have to convince him that it wasn't Itachi! He wouldn't have done something like that. Itachi-nii is going to come back… he _has_ to. I know it. I-Itachi…" A new wave of sobs racked her body.

Hiashi couldn't take it anymore he stood up and walked over to Hanabi. She reached out for his hand with her small one and pulled on his robes with the other. The shinnying white-silver of her eyes was gone and was replaced by a cloudy and turbulent white he didn't recognize as his daughter's, "It wasn't Itachi-nii, otō-san it wasn't him— he didn't- kill them… he loves us so much. You _have to_ believe me. You have to believe in _him_…"

Hiashi knelt down and embraced his daughter, surprising everyone especially himself. Hanabi only sobbed harder while he held her. "I'm sorry Hanabi but there's no mistake. Itachi killed his clan and fled; ANBU has been searching for him for weeks but have been unable to find any trace of him. Sasuke saw him do it, he killed— I'm sorry, Hanabi." He couldn't tell her that he had killed his parents in front of Sasuke.

Hanabi held onto him tighter and wept for Itachi. Unable to take it any longer, Hiashi aimed for the weak spot on the back of her neck before applying pressure and he felt her go limp in his arms. He picked her up and turned over to Hiroko who was already standing next to him. He handed her over, "Please take her to her room. She will be out for several hours." Hiroko bowed with the young girl in arms and left his presence.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation before he sensed a familiar presence still with him. He turned and he saw that Hinata had lingered her eyes irritated from crying. He sighed audibly, "There's nothing else you can do for her at the moment, Hinata. There's somewhere else you are needed right now." He saw understanding dawn on her features before she bowed and left.

This had been the second hardest thing he had ever had to do, the first was telling Hinata that her mother had passed away, and though she had been very young at the time knowing that she was unable to grasp the concept of death had seemed cruel to him. Now he had revealed to his youngest a truth that had destroyed her innocence and the image she had of the world around her. She had been forced to see that not everything was as black and white as she had first thought, and even the ones that were closest to her were capable of committing horrible acts. What comforted him was the fact that one day she would know, one day when she was old enough and they were safe once again she would know the truth of the gray in between.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Hiroko slid the door open with all the stealth of a skilled kunoichi despite the small body in her arms. She made her way to the bed of the younger Hyūga and placed her gently on the bed under the sheets. She looked at Hanabi's face and saw that although she was unconscious tears still streamed down her face. She gently moved the golden brown hair away from the tear-streaked face and wiped at the tears only to have them replaced by new ones. She sighed and felt the swell of her very own coming forth. Hiroko placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before they overwhelmed her.

She made her way to the open window when she saw the curtains move slightly in the wind out of the corner of her eye. The day had started off with the possibility of being a beautiful day, but was now cloudy and she could smell rain in the distance— it seemed as if the day itself felt the pain Hanabi was going through and was reflecting it. She knew rain would soon come to Konoha. She was about to close the window and lock it but thought better of it. The area where the window was located shielded rain from coming in. There was also another reason why she didn't; she had known all along of Itachi's late visits to Hanabi's room when he came back from his missions and knew that the young girl was unaware of them. She had no doubt it had been unintentional, but Hanabi had always left it open, perhaps as a beacon for him to find his way back.

Hiroko refused to believe that Itachi had murdered his clan in cold blood. Maybe there was something else— something nobody else knew or maybe something only a few knew— whatever the case might be, if Hanabi believed in him so blindly so would she. Though Hiashi had been the one to reveal the culprit, she had seen no conviction in his eyes when he confirmed it had been Itachi. All of that didn't matter for Itachi was long gone and she knew the probability of him ever coming back was slim to none. There were only two things that tied him to Konoha now… Sasuke and Hanabi.

She left the window open. _Itachi… you have to find your way home someday… _She turned to look at the young girl once more before walking out and saw the lotus necklace around her neck. _You will eventually even if it's only for her._

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

She had made her way to the Uchiha District and though she was afraid of rejection once again, she swallowed her fear and pushed forward. If he did reject her it would definitely not be the last. She carried a bento box with a few of Sasuke's favorite foods making sure there were plenty of tomatoes. She knew food was the last thing on his mind at the moment but he needed nourishment and Hinata was afraid he would fall ill again. She shivered at the thought.

She almost ran to get to his house, the deserted district made her uneasy, and when she finally reached his home she hesitated before knocking. She gathered all the courage she could muster and knocked hoping he would see her. She waited a few moments before knocking again only to receive no answer. She didn't want to use her Byakugan, she was still working on mastering it and felt it was a violation of privacy to use it to look inside the home— that and she was afraid of what she might see. She walked in quietly if he was asleep she didn't want to wake him. Hinata made her way further inside the house searching for Sasuke. He wasn't in the kitchen and he wasn't in any of the rooms. _Wh__ere could he be? _She suddenly remembered his favorite place and hoped he was there.

When she walked out she was surprisd to find that the garden was almost in the same state she last remembered it, with the exception of the grass having grown past its usual length, it was still as breathtaking as the first time she had seen it. It was the last reminder she had of her beloved second mother, why was it that she kept losing them? She had lost her real mother when she was really young, and the few memories she had of her made her ache with longing; how different things could have been. Mikoto Uchiha had taken that place and even if they weren't related by blood she had filled that emptiness with her unwavering love for them. Just like that it had all been taken away. Why? Why was it that she couldn't be happy for long?

She came to the rundown gazebo at the back of the garden hidden under the Wisteria, when not in bloom the small structure was more noticeable. She heard faint rustling and felt her heart speed up, it had to be him. She approached the entrance and saw him tucked away in a corner on the bench with his knees pulled up towards his chest.

If he felt her next to him he made no indication and she proceeded to sit by his side and placed the bento beside her. After what seemed like hours he stirred, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you I didn't want your pity?" She heard the pain and venom that laced his voice. "Didn't I make it clear I don't want you around and I want to be alone?"

Hinata was beyond hurt. Sasuke was worse today and it felt as if he hated her. She bit her bottom lip to stifle her cry, "I- I brought you some food, Sasuke. I k-know you don't want to eat and it's probably the last thing on your m-mind right now, but you have to eat something. You'll get s-"

"I said I want you to _leave_!" He looked up at her, the anger and pain visible on his face. "Why can't you understand that, Hinata?"

She felt as if he had physically struck her and she felt anger rise inside her. "I don't want to understand- I refuse to!" She saw his eyes widen. "I am not leaving you alone, Sasuke! You can say the meanest things to me, but I will stay by your side. Don't- don't you understand? I lost her too…"

Though she had been trying her hardest not to she cried and it was then that she saw that he finally understood they at least shared some of the same pain. Her body shook from the admission and she slowly leaned her forehead against his arms, which were still resting on his knees. Hinata placed her right hand on his left arm and let it rest there as she held onto him as if whatever composure she had left depended on it. She expected him to push her away and to leave her there alone, but he didn't, he had allowed her in if only momentarily. She felt relieved that at least this time, if only this time, he needed her too. The Uchiha Sasuke she knew was gone. While she cried until her heart's fulfillment, she failed to see the silent tears that fell from his eyes as he realized he was not completely alone.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

_It was one of the happiest days of her life; she had been looking forward to this day the whole year, it __was the indication of the beginning of the summer. He had gone away on another one of his long missions and they had both hoped he would make it back in time for the festival, he knew how much she loved it. She had been walking the streets visiting the different booths with Hinata, Hiroko, __Sasuke, and Ren. The village people were dressed in yukatas and she enjoyed looking at them as much as the entertainment the festival had to offer, no two were alike, but in spite of everything there was something missing. The usually highly anticipated evening had yet to be what she had hoped it would… not without him. _

_It was now twilight and she had lost all hope, he would not be coming back in time. Suddenly behind her she felt a familiar and comforting presence. She quickly turned around and saw that it was him. He had made it back just like he said he would. "Itachi-nii!" _

_She flung her arms around him and felt him return the gesture. "I'm sorry I took so long, I had to report to the Hokage before I went off duty." He was no longer in his ANBU uniform and was dressed in his civilian clothing. "I'm here now."_

_Hanabi looked up at him without releasing him, "I thought you wouldn't make it back in time for the fireworks." The fireworks show was her favorite part of the evening and it had become something she liked to share with him over the years._

_His lips turned up slightly, "I wouldn't want to miss that." He looked up and nodded a greeting at everyone else. "I know the perfect place to see them, too." He looked up at Hiroko to ask her for permission to take the young girl, but she was already walking away dragging Hinata along with her._

"_Just look after her, Itachi! Make sure she gets home safely, if Hiashi-sama asks I'll let him know!" Ren rolled his eyes and tucked his hands inside his pockets before following them and gesturing Sasuke to do the same._

_Before Itachi could say anything else they were lost in the crowd. He held on to Hanabi's hand before she suffered the same fate and pulled her away from the crowd. "Itachi-nii, do you like my yukata?" She asked as she tugged lightly on his hand. "Hiroko-chan picked it out for me she said yellow is one of my best colors."_

_He looked down at her and smiled, she was wearing a yellow and pink flowered summer yukata that complimented her golden brown hair and lightly tanned skin. "Yes, I like it very much and I agree with Hiroko-san, it's a very flattering color on you." She smiled in satisfaction. _

_He steered them free of the crowd and made his way to the outskirts of town. Hanabi began to recognize the direction they were going in, they were going to the dock. The streets were deserted everyone was now at the festival leaving the dock exclusively to them. He led them to the end where he sat down and let his legs hang over the edge; he helped her sit beside him. A few seconds later, Hanabi was startled by a loud bang and the night sky was suddenly alight with all the colors of a rainbow. Reds, purples, oranges, yellows, and blues erupted throughout— the much awaited fireworks display had begun._

_She felt a huge smile on her face, the wait had well been worth it in the end. "Do you know what your name means?" She was able to hear over the loud noise of the constant show. _

"_Fireworks," she answered._

"_There couldn't have been a name more fitting for you, Hanabi-chan." He smiled at her._

_She blushed slightly and quickly turned to look at the fireworks. She quickly felt her happiness diminish for she felt the worry that had been nagging at her resurface lately. She didn't want to bring it up for it would ruin the mood, but she couldn't let it go. _

"_Itachi-nii," she whispered almost inaudibly. When he turned to look at her she found her resolve and continued. "I can't help but worry about you when you're away." She felt the blush come back and turned to look at the reflection of the fireworks on the lake surface. "Sometimes you take so long… what if one day you don't come back?"_

_He didn't reply for a while and she felt that she had said something she shouldn't have. He finally broke the silence, "I am sorry if I worry you, Hanabi-chan, but unfortunately that is the life of a shinobi." He paused briefly, "We go out never really knowing if we are coming back safely from the mission. The safety of our loved ones is our priority." She turned to look at him and felt true fear, what if she never saw him again? Maybe he saw the fear in her because what he said next quelled her troubles. "The only thing I can do is make a promise to you. I promise to come back to you every single time no matter how long it takes and regardless of the circumstances."_

_That was good enough for her— Uchiha Itachi's promises were never broken. She hugged him as tightly as she could, "I love you, Itachi-nii…"_

_Itachi…_ She felt consciousness coming back to her gradually; the memory of that promise stayed with her, it always would. She felt panic rise at the darkness surrounding her, but slowly realized it was night already. She stayed in bed trying to piece together her last memories. She remembered waking up and being called for breakfast. It had been boring as usual. Then she remembered her father telling her he needed to talk to her, but about what she couldn't remember… all she wanted was for Itachi to come back form his mission.

It all came flooding back to her suddenly. The confession her father made, the reason he needed to talk to her. Sasuke was awake and had revealed who had killed the Uchihas— it had been Itachi… _No! It can't be true!_ Though her father had said there was no doubt. She sat up quickly, a little too quickly, and felt her head spin. She placed her hand on her neck and felt something cold. The lotus Itachi had given her. She felt anger boiling and grabbed it roughly in attempt to yank it off and get rid of it. Hanabi wanted nothing from Itachi she wanted nothing to remind her of her big brother… the murderer. The one that was _not_ coming back. Yet she couldn't do it, she couldn't take it off.

Itachi was not what they said he was. He couldn't have done what they said he did. She wouldn't believe any of it. She would keep it on her as a constant reminder that the person he had been with her and the things he had done for her had truly happened and hadn't simply been a figment of her imagination. No matter how long it took she would wait for him— he had to clear up what had happened. He would come back to her… he promised he would and promises made by Uchiha Itachi were _never_ broken.

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **__I hope you liked this chapter, I loved writing it. Please let me know how I did and what your thoughts are. I'm really trying my hardest to update my stories. I'm exhausted, guys and gals! So I'm sleeping as much as I can on my days off and writing my chapters in between. I don't know what's going to be updated next, Turquoise Dreams or Crimson, I did update the third chapter of Hierro not too long ago although I might update that one since I love it so much. Or I might post the first chapter of my next story in the ARLD series. Thank you for reading my story!_

_**-Wyvern**_


	11. World of Chaos

_**A/N:**_ I'm sorry I took a little bit longer to update this time. I have to say that I'm worried that I didn't get as many reviews as I usually do for other chapters. I hope I haven't lost any of you…

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**_Rating:_ T**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Naruto unfortunately.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>World of Chaos<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

She slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. It took her a moment but she recognized her belongings; the now lightening room with the promise of a new dawn made it easier to see. She didn't want to get out of bed yet, the nightmare that had woken her up still lingered in the forefront of her mind. Hinata had been having the same recurring dream over the past four years and it had been visiting her even more lately. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen.

It was always the same— her unconscious would recall a memory of the many days they would spend with Mikoto when they were children; Hinata was still surprised at how even in her dreams her mere presence was enough to comfort her. She and Hanabi would be out in the garden by the koi pond when Mikoto would retreat inside the house with the promise of treats when she returned. Hours seemed to pass by and there would be no sign of the Uchiha matriarch. Wondering what had taken her so long they would both go inside and try to find her.

Nothing had prepared them for the sight before them. Mikoto lay lifeless on the floor in a puddle of her own blood and Itachi stood over her with his sword drawn coated with his mother's blood and a few drops had sprayed on his face. Then she heard an agonizing scream and she didn't know if it had come from her or Hanabi or maybe even both. Next to her Hanabi dropped to her knees sobbing and looked at Itachi, Hinata had never seen her sister so lost and broken until the moment she realized what Itachi had done.

In between her sobs Hinata was able to make out what her sister had been whispering. _"Why… Itachi? Why…?" _He then moved forward in an attempt to kill them both and just as his sword was coming down on them the dream changed.

She was no longer inside the house and she was no longer that terrified eight-year-old, she knew she was older and several years had passed since that incident. Hinata was outside by the pier and the sun was setting; the familiar blues and purples adorned the sky and it was breathtaking. She knew it was autumn, for the maples that guarded the dirt path she had walked countless times before had now turned red. She felt a familiar presence next to her and when she turned to her left she saw Sasuke. He had an unknown emotion in his eyes as he looked out at the pier and all Hinata knew was that it scared her. When he turned to look at her that emotion was gone and he looked intensely at her; as she looked into his obsidian eyes she was able to understand what it was he was trying to convey to her without any words being spoken. It was something the two had accomplished— a wordless connection between them over the years they had known each other.

He gave her that smile that had become even more scarce in the past several years, that smile that only she had the privilege of seeing, and she felt her heart shatter as the realization finally sunk in. He was leaving her and there was nothing she could do about it. He turned away from her and began to walk down the dirt path putting more distance between them. She couldn't move, she was paralyzed and she couldn't even call out to him. The trees swayed as a gust of wind swept past them and the leaves began to fall from the branches; that same wind was the one that finally mobilized her. Hinata reached out to him desperately and ran after him trying to prevent him from leaving, but the more she tried to reach him the further away he got. As another gust of wind blew, the leaves that had fallen from the maples enveloped him and in a swirl of red leaves he vanished. She dropped to her knees and hugged herself as she wept, she felt the overwhelming feeling of loss consume her. He would not be coming back. Hinata yelled his name one last time at the top of her lungs and the utter despair could be heard in her voice. It was always in that moment that she would wake up.

After having that dream so many times Hinata thought that she would have become used to it by now but she realized that she never would. The death of Mikoto was always so vivid as if she had actually been there but she knew that if she actually had witnessed it the experience would not even compare. Then the part where Sasuke left _that_ she would never get used to and while she no longer woke up while actually calling his name out loud the pain was still the same. No… the pain of losing him was not the same as it had only intensified over the years as they became closer.

There were many times over the last four years that he had pushed her aside; he had yelled at her and insulted her telling her that she didn't understand his pain and never would but she always went back to him. She never missed the brief look of relief and guilt in his eyes when she came back the following day after every argument they had. Hinata knew Sasuke needed her and even if he never said it out loud she knew he was aware of it too. He had become even more withdrawn than he had previously been, there were only a very select few that he let in but still kept at a distance; Naruto, Hanabi, and herself being the only ones. The friendship between Sasuke and Naruto had only gotten stronger and while they both denied they were best friends she knew better. It was true— their friendship was not normal by any means, everything between them turned into a competition, but they were friends nonetheless.

Hinata finally decided it was time for her to get out of bed and get ready for the day. She went through the motions not really paying attention to what she was doing; she showered and got dressed in a daze, the dream she had never leaving her and she wondered why that was. _Sasuke…_ She knew what his intentions were— he had sworn that he would avenge his clan by killing Itachi— and in order to accomplish that he would have to go after him. Hinata dreaded that more than anything because in doing so not only would she be devastated but Hanabi as well; that confrontation would end with at least one of them dead. The day that Sasuke had sworn his revenge she had also made a vow, she would do everything within her ability to keep Sasuke in the village. Hinata constantly asked herself if the bond between them was enough for him to stay and she always came to the conclusion that it wasn't. There was still a part of her that wished it wasn't so.

A soft knock on her door interrupted her train of thought and moments later followed by her door sliding open. Hanabi quietly stepped in just in case Hinata was still asleep but stopped when she saw her sitting on the bed. A soft smile appeared on her lips but Hinata could see that her eyes retained that ever present sadness.

"Ohayō, onee-sama," the younger girl approached where she was sitting and gave her their daily morning hug.

Now that they were older the differences in their features were more noticeable. The fact that they were related was a given, but their styles and personalities set them apart. While Hinata had kept the same short style Hanabi had opted for longer hair. Hanabi's natural lightly tanned skin had remained, while no matter how much Hinata tried her skin stayed as pale as ever. For being two years apart their height was almost the same, Hanabi was only two inches shorter than her. Their personalities were similar, they both were very caring and giving to others, they were also very polite and the only difference was that while Hinata was shy Hanabi was more outgoing.

"Ohayō, Hanabi-chan." She hugged her little sister more tightly.

When they pulled away Hanabi sat next to her on the bed. "How did you sleep last night?" She already knew the answer only made more evident by the dark circles under her eyes.

Hinata only continued to look at her clasped hands that rested on her lap. "I had the same dream… how about you?"

Hanabi sighed deeply. "Same here," she answered.

Ever since the truth had been revealed to Hanabi she had nightmares and for a while she had kept them hidden from Hinata. They began to be more frequent to the point where she would cry out in her sleep and would wake up Hinata and their father. She had an idea of what or _who_ her nightmares were about, but Hanabi refused to tell them until one day she finally gave in. Hinata knew that it had simply been too much for her sister to bear and felt the need to share her pain with someone who knew it all too well. In turn Hinata had shared her nightmare as well. Hanabi's nightmares varied but they all shared one person in common, Itachi. Sometimes late at night when Hinata would check on Hanabi, a habit that she had picked up over the years, she would hear her crying in her sleep and it pained her deeply to know that there was nothing she could do to make it go away.

"Are they still as frequent as they were before?" She asked her younger sister.

Hanabi shook her head and played with the lotus necklace she never took off. Hinata had noticed that every time her little sister thought of _him_ she would touch it, as if the contact would somehow bring him closer to her. "No, I only have them a couple of times a week now." She looked at Hinata out of the corner of her eye, "What about you… are they going away?"

She turned to look at her and lavender eyes met white-silver, the same emotion mirrored in each. "No, I- I have been getting them more and more. It's as if… as if-" Hinata did not dare say it out loud. If it was a warning of some sort she would rather keep it to herself.

Hanabi smiled genuinely and squeezed her hand gently. "We will get through this together, Hina."

Her rare authentic smile was contagious and Hinata couldn't help but smile back as she nodded. Realizing it was still very early and Hanabi had gone to her room to wake her up she asked, "What are you doing up so early?"

The younger Hyūga only chuckled, "Did you forget what today is?" When Hinata only gave her a puzzled look she elaborated. "Today is the day of your final exam."

How could she have forgotten, it was only the day she had been looking forward to for the past year. Then she realized why the memory of Mikoto had been so heavy on her thoughts. _She would have liked to have been here._ "It just slipped my mind, but I'm ready."

Hanabi quickly stood up and appeared very enthusiastic. "You've got this, Hinata, you are a Hyūga. The final exam should be a piece of cake!" She then pulled her up to a standing position. "Let's go see if Hiroko-chan is awake."

Hinata nodded and let her self be led out of the room. In front of the door Hanabi paused and looked down at her feet. Hinata was surprised by her abrupt stop but said nothing and only waited. "Okā-san… would be very proud of you." Her voice cracked slightly from the emotion and then she continued on her way with Hinata in tow.

As they walked down the hallway, Hinata was momentarily stunned— she had not expected Hanabi to say that. Then she thought over what she had said and wondered if she had meant their birth mother. She realized that Hanabi had only known one mother figure in her life and that had been Uchiha Mikoto. She felt a smile tug at her lips. _Yes, okā-san would have been very proud._

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

The years had not passed in vain, and while he had accomplished many things during this time it was as if nothing had been accomplished. He had activated his bloodline limit years ago with rigorous training that had become as essential to him as breathing. He had mastered the jutsu that his father had taught him as a rite of passage one day many years ago. He still remembered the words of approval he had finally earned from his father on that day out by the dock as if it had just happened yesterday. He had acquired a fame of his own in the village; aside from being the last Uchiha the knowledge of being the top graduate in his class had spread like wildfire. He had finally done it— he would finally become a genin, and not that he needed a title to tell him how strong he was. It was all just pointless politics and ceremonies in the long run, but if the village felt the need to go through the unnecessary charades he would do it.

It all just led him that much closer to his goal… it all just led him closer to _him_ the one he would have the pleasure of killing with his own hands. After all these years he still couldn't bring himself to say the name out loud, it had become forbidden. The few people that knew the details of what had truly happened that night, the Hyūga clan and the Hokage, never spoke _his_ name. Even Hanabi who had practically worshiped _him_ did not speak the name in front of him, and Hinata did not either, that had been one of the conditions under which he had allowed her to stay by his side. He could see it in their Hyūga eyes— he could see their pity and sympathy— and he _hated_ it. Nothing escaped their eyes.

_Hinata..._ After all this time she had not left him. After all he had thrown her way she remained at his side her faith in him unwavering. _Stupid, selfless girl. _Deep down he was glad she did not leave for although everything around him had changed drastically, she remained the only constant. In a world of chaos some semblance of sanity was welcome. Yet even though she only meant well, she was dangerous… she was extremely dangerous. Hinata was the only person that could deter him from his goal to avenge his clan and she didn't even know it. Though no matter how much he wanted to stay with her— to stay in the village— and have a somewhat normal life he couldn't. Uchiha Sasuke was an Avenger and nothing would stop him from reaching his goal. Once he had accomplished his goal there was only one thing he wanted to do and that was to rebuild his clan.

After that fateful day he had been unable to stay at the Uchiha District, the memories of what had been taken away from him tormented him constantly. Each day he returned home he hoped his mother would be there only to come to the realization that he would never see her again. He had left everything except the portrait of his parents that had been by their nightstand behind and even then he kept it hidden among his things, only to be taken out when the pain of missing them became unbearable. Sasuke had moved to an apartment on the opposite end of the village and closer to the Hyūga compound. The situation had gone more smoothly when the Hyūga clan head took responsibility for him, not that Sasuke needed him to but he could see why it was necessary.

A loud banging on his door drew his attention back to the present and before opening it he knew who it was. Just before he reached it the door swung open barely missing slamming into him.

"Sasuke!" The most annoying voice he had ever heard called out to him.

"What's the point of you knocking if you are not even going to wait for me to open the door?" He pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt the onset of an inevitable headache and sighed. "What do you want dobe? It's too early for me to have to put up with you. Don't you have something better to do?"

Naruto slapped his back and laughed. "Come on, you know you love seeing me first thing in the morning!" Sasuke only rolled his eyes. "Did you forget what today is?" He asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"Of course I know what today is idiot. I'm just not as excited about it as you obviously are."

Naruto looked at him with wide eyes and appeared almost offended. "How can you not be excited? Today we finally become Konoha shinobi!"

A smirk appeared on his lips, "If I were you I wouldn't celebrate just yet. You are the biggest slacker in our class and even Shikamaru who is asleep all the time has a better chance than you do of becoming a genin."

"Take that back, Sasuke! You just wait and see! By this time tomorrow I will be a genin too and I'll make you take your words back!"

Sasuke scoffed. "As if. I'm better than you Naruto and don't forget that."

"That's not true and I can prove it!" The blonde yelled back.

He hated getting into these pointless arguments with him every day. He honestly preferred when Hinata would come along, her presence seemed to calm Naruto down a bit; the idiot had the biggest crush on her. He was relieved that Hinata did not feel the same way; she had been friends with him first long before Naruto came along. Sasuke didn't completely understand why but Hinata was someone that he did not want to share. She was the only one that had seen him at his lowest and that had only made her that much more special to him. She was his best friend.

Sasuke walked past him shoving Naruto out of the way. "Hey, bastard I'm not done talking to you!" He slammed the door shut and ran after him.

"Hurry up, Naruto or we will be late for the exam." The loud boy had finally caught up to him and walked at the same pace. The constant smile was now replaced by a scowl.

Sasuke knew he should have felt at least something because he would finally be graduating, yet there was something that bothered him. As they walked to the Academy he saw a little kid holding his mother's hand and he tugged on her skirt to get her attention. The look of complete happiness was visible on their faces as she knelt down and took the child in her arms. Then it dawned on him— the feeling he had unconsciously been trying to suppress. It was on occasions like these that he felt the absence of his parents the most. This was what his parents had been looking forward to, his graduation. When he turned to look at Naruto he saw that he had been looking at the same thing and Sasuke saw the same look of longing in his eyes.

_Okā-san… at least I'm not completely alone…_

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Just as Sasuke had foreseen Naruto was the only one out of the entire class that had not graduated. The final exam had consisted of creating a clone of their sensei Umino Iruka and Naruto had failed miserably. The one thing he wasn't looking forward to was the fact that he would go on and on about it for weeks. As if the blonde did not complain enough as it is…

"Don't worry about it Naruto-kun you can always try again next year." He heard a soft voice try to comfort him.

"That's not the point Hinata. I was supposed to graduate with you guys!"

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun." She said.

"You don't need to apologize to him, Hinata. It's not your fault he's an idiot that can't even do one measly clone right." Sasuke said in annoyance. He didn't like it when she apologized unnecessarily.

Hinata blushed and Naruto almost growled in frustration. "If the final exam would have been anything else I would have passed it! Iruka-sensei knows my weakness and that's why he did it!"

"It doesn't matter, idiot. You can't be a genin until you know all of the basics. Iruka wouldn't be doing his job if he had passed you regardless."

Naruto glared at him before he stomped off. "Naruto-kun, wait-"

"Leave him be Hinata, he needs to spend some time alone. Maybe now he'll work on his jutsu harder."

"But he _has_ been working really hard." She realized her voice had raised a little and she blushed. "He just hasn't been able to get it right."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow as he looked at her. Had she just stood up for Naruto? "It doesn't matter he has to learn." He saw her nod her head in acknowledgment and he quickly changed the subject. "What do you want to do? Are you hungry?" Iruka had given them the rest of the day off since they would be assigned to their genin teams tomorrow.

Hinata hummed in thought. "I am a little hungry. We can-"

"Sasuke-kun!" He recognized the shrill voices and he winced. He pretended not to hear them and urged Hinata to keep on walking but it was to no avail. The two he avoided the most ran to catch up to them. When they reached him they both pulled on his shirt. "Sasuke-kun!"

"What?" He asked, his voice dripping with irritation.

"Sasuke…" Hinata said softly and when he looked at her he saw that she was slowly shaking her head.

He closed his eyes briefly. "What?" He asked in a more subdued manner and when he looked at Hinata again he saw that she was now smiling. The exchange did not go unnoticed by the other two.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your exam, Sasuke-kun. You made the best clone!" Ino squealed her praise.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun yours was the best!" Sakura echoed.

He only grunted in annoyance. "You should also be congratulating Hinata her clone was as good as mine."

Hinata turned an unnatural shade of red and shook her head vigorously. "N-no… there's n-no need. My clone was as g-good as e-everybody else's!"

Sakura and Ino only stared incredulously between the two before they laughed nervously. "Of course, congratulations Hinata, your clone was way better than mine." Sakura was the first to speak.

"And it was _way_ better than mine!" Ino echoed and Sasuke smirked.

"Actually, I just wanted to say that I hope we are on the same genin team," Sakura stated shyly. Shyness coming from _her_ irritated Sasuke to no end, it _did not_ suit her.

Ino pouted at Sakura no doubt in his mind that she was going to say the same thing. "We were also wondering if you wanted to join us for lunch…"

Why didn't they just give up? He had no interest in either one of them and never would. "No," he said coldly. "I already have plans."

All three of them looked at Hinata and she turned crimson once again. "A-actually, I-I don't m-mind if they-"

"No," he stated flatly and before she could say anything else he grabbed her arm and walked away.

"B-but, Sasuke…"

"No, Hinata. I refuse to put up with them simply because you are too nice to them. They don't care about being your friend they just want to get close to me." When he turned in her direction he saw that what he said had hurt her. He slowed their pace to a halt and faced her. When she still refused to look at him he grabbed her by the shoulders and made her face him. Frustrated he ran his hand through his hair before putting his hands in his pockets. "Look I'm-" he paused awkwardly before he continued in a softer tone. "I know I was mean alright, but what I said is true. You can't let people use you, Hina."

She smiled warmly at him the fact that he had attempted to apologize meant a lot to her. It was his way of showing he cared about her. "Okay, Sasuke."

He almost smiled at her but remembered they were out in public and caught himself. "Come on let's go get something to eat."

Unaware that they had an audience, Sakura had stayed behind watching the whole time. She had been unable to move shocked at the closeness of their relationship. Throughout their academy years they had always known that there was a friendship between Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto and that between Sasuke and Hinata was an even closer friendship. Sakura knew that the two had practically grown up together. Still she had not seen this side of him. Yes, he still seemed cold and detached but another emotion was there underlying the surface. He cared about Hinata and the realization hurt her.

Sakura realized that the fight for Sasuke had been over before it had even begun.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

The following morning they all gathered in the same classroom for the last time. Their meeting would be brief for the only purpose of it was for them to be divided into teams of three and then they would go their separate way to meet their sensei. The class had been shocked to see Naruto show up that morning wearing his headband proudly. At the probing questions of others he only laughed, and when Sasuke and Hinata asked he only said he would give them the details later for Iruka happened to walk in the classroom at that moment.

Hinata was nervous, she didn't know what team she would be assigned to and she hoped it was with people she knew. If she was really honest with herself she hoped she would be with either Sasuke or Naruto. She knew that hoping for both was too much.

Iruka demanded their attention before he spoke. "As you all know this will be the last time we come together here. I would just like to let you all know that I have enjoyed teaching every single one of you and I am extremely proud that you all have become genin." When the cheers and applause died down he continued. "Now, for what you have been waiting for, I will announce the teams. The decision was not made lightly for the three people in each team were chosen based on their abilities and how they would compliment each other. The following names I call out are the members of Team 7 and they will be supervised by jōnin instructor Hatake Kakashi: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura."

"Why do I have to be with him?" Naruto stood up to emphasize his displeasure as he pointed at Sasuke.

"Because you got the lowest grades in the class Naruto, and both Sasuke and Sakura got the highest." Iruka offered.

Ino was staring daggers at Sakura but she didn't notice. While before she would have been thrilled about being on the same team with Sasuke, after yesterday she wasn't so sure now. When she looked at Hinata she saw that she had her gaze down and looked disappointed. She knew Naruto and Sasuke must have been feeling the same way they would have both preferred having Hinata on their team.

"Okay, settle down so I can continue." When all was quiet once again he cleared his throat and continued. "Team 8 will be under the direction of jōnin Yūhi Kurenai and will consist of: Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyūga Hinata." Hearing no complaint from the team members he continued before anymore interruptions arose.

"The remaining genin will make up Team 10 and will be under the direction of Sarutobi Asuma: Akimichi Chōji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino. Does anybody have any questions?" He looked around the classroom and saw that a few looked disappointed, a few looked excited, and the rest looked like they just didn't care. Ino had slapped Shikamaru on the back of his head to wake him up but he had just gone back to sleep. "Well then, since there are no questions class is dismissed."

Immediately Naruto ran two rows behind him to where Hinata had been sitting and as soon as he stood next to her the quiet girl smiled warmly. "Naruto-kun-"

"That wasn't a fair decision Hinata you were supposed to be with us!" He exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear.

"For once the idiot is right. We have been training together for years now and you are the only girl I know that would take this seriously." Sasuke added as he joined them.

A blush appeared on her cheeks at the compliment Sasuke had given her and at how upset Naruto seemed to be that she had been assigned to another team. "I-it's okay, like Iruka-sensei said the decision was m-made after a l-lot of thought-"

"I still don't think it was the best choice!" Naruto argued. "You're the best girl fighter I know Hina-chan!" At that Hinata reddened even more. Naruto turned to where her new teammates were sitting. "Oi, Kiba and Shino!" When he had their attention he proceeded, "You better take care of Hinata or you'll have to answer to me and Sasuke!"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered as she covered her face in embarrassment.

Sasuke stayed silent but everything about his posture made it perfectly clear that it was not an empty threat. Shino nodded and Kiba bristled at his comment, "As if we would let anything happen to her you idiot! She's our teammate! What do you take us for?" Akamaru simply barked in agreement. Naruto calmed down after that and Sasuke's attention was drawn back to the Hyūga. Now that things were made perfectly clear all was well between Team 8 and the male members of Team 7.

From behind his desk Iruka watched the two teams. He saw Hinata's color returning back to normal and did not fail to notice the way that Sasuke and Naruto stood protectively around her. Below them he saw a dejected Sakura. As he continued to watch the interaction between them Iruka wondered if it had truly been the wisest choice to put them in separate teams.

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**__ I saw Trivium live yesterday and I have to say that I am super happy. They had been one of the bands that I had to see perform, but because of where I live I thought they would never come down here. I am super happy to say that I was proven wrong! Their performance was beyond words and Matthew Heafy is even better in person. On another note I think I may be back to my regular updates. Oh and in case you missed it the Rookie 9 are about 12._

_**-Wyvern**_


	12. Ever Dream

_**A/N:**_ Thank you to all of my faithful readers, this is still my most popular story and it is all because of you. Can you believe that I've been working on this story for a year already? Wow. This story still has a while to go but because of its popularity, I will focus more on this one until I'm almost done with it. I know I have several ongoing stories but due to the reviews/hits this one, _Hierro_ and _Would It Be Okay If I Took Your Breath Away? _will be the ones I focus on more for the time being. The other ones will still be completed just at a slower pace.

I just wanted to let you all know that I have created a tumblr account in which all the lemons and anything else related to the stories will be posted. A link and picture for Hanabi's lotus necklace can also be found there, I know I should have done it earlier but I finally found the necklace online again.

_**Rating:**_ **T**

_**Disclaimer:**_ Previously stated disclaimer still applies.

Title for this chapter is courtesy of Nightwish from one of my favorite songs of theirs.

**Last edited: 6/11/13**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Ever Dream<br>**_••••••••••••_**  
><strong>_

"Tell me, was the mission really successful?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked the gray haired jōnin once his three pupils had been dismissed. They had just arrived from Tanigakure and Hatake Kakashi had debriefed him on the result of the mission, yet the restlessness he sensed in the young ones told him the details had been purposefully left out. Sarutobi was standing behind his large desk looking out towards his village then looked back to gauge the younger man's reaction.

"Yes," the way the jōnin placed his hand under his chin told him differently, it seemed as if he was still mulling over the mission.

The Hokage remained silent and waited for Kakashi to elaborate; he was rewarded with the man's next words.

"The outcome of the mission was favorable but-"

The sound of Naruto's loud voice interrupted him and the Hokage's attention was drawn towards the window once again. The three that had just left ran into Team 8 who had been summoned for a mission. Kakashi was suddenly by his side and they both observed the two teams. Naruto had almost tackled Hinata into the ground when he hugged her from the excitement of seeing his close friend; Team 7 had been gone for almost a week. Sasuke and Kiba instantly went to her defense and scolded Naruto— the Uchiha pulled Hinata away from the blonde and Kiba punched him on the arm, even Akamaru barked in protest. Shino did not move but from the tension he saw in the boy, the Hokage could see his disapproval. Sakura stood behind her teammates and Hiruzen could see the dejection on her face, it was always like this and he felt sad for the girl. Kurenai merely observed them in the same way they did.

"They're having a hard time accepting Sakura." Kakashi finished his earlier statement.

The Hokage saw how the restlessness he had seen in the two boys had vanished with the presence of the Hyūga heiress. Naruto was back to his overly cheerful demeanor and even Sasuke showed signs of being at ease, Hinata looked back and forth between the two in front of her with an ever present smile.

Sarutobi sighed deeply, "How are they treating her?"

"They treat her fine— well as fine as Sasuke can treat someone. Naruto tries to make her feel like she is a part of the team but Sasuke is not so friendly towards her and their teamwork suffers for it."

"Maybe we should have listened to Iruka," the Hokage offered. "Their treatment of Hinata is the complete opposite and she brings those two opposites together."

Kakashi looked down at the three genin; Naruto was standing between them with his arms around their shoulders. "Maybe… but Team 7 has a lot of potential just like Team 8 does. We could also have Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke together on future missions and see how they work as a team. Team 7 has been together for several months now but their teamwork has not improved as much as it should have compared to the other teams."

The Hokage thought over what Kakashi had said and concluded that it was the best course of action for the moment. Team 8 was his best tracker team and he wanted to keep them together. Hinata was what made that team complete— the protective nature she had awakened in her teammates was the foundation on which their friendship had built upon— bringing the Inuzuka and Aburame opposites together, once again only something Hinata could do.

"We should send Hinata on a mission along with Team 7, maybe she can straighten them out," The Hokage said half jokingly.

"That could work too," said the jōnin. "If anybody can get the two of them in line it's her and if she saw the boys' treatment of Sakura she would definitely do something about it." He said as he chuckled softly, Sasuke and Naruto were wrapped around her finger and it seemed that everyone was aware of this except the parties involved.

Sarutobi was thinking along that line for he laughed as well. "You're right it's something only she can do and we need to act soon, with the Chūnin Exam fast approaching they need to be ready."

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

"What do you think our mission will be this time, another D rank?" Inuzuka Kiba asked his sensei and teammates as they walked to the Hokage's tower. They had all been summoned early that morning after almost a week of inactivity. Sure, they had all trained daily but they had not gone on a mission and he was anxious for some action.

"More than likely," was all Kurenai said and Kiba grumbled in response.

"You should not complain Kiba. Why? You should be glad that we're finally getting a mission," Shino replied.

Kiba chose to ignore him when he noticed that Hinata had remained silent. She would usually agree with Shino and say something along the lines of _"Shino is right, Kiba-kun"_ but she said nothing. He quickly noticed that he hadn't been the only one and saw that all eyes were on Hinata's form in front of them. To those who did not know the kind Hyūga heiress it would not have been noticeable, but her teammates knew better. She was more quiet than usual and the slight tension he saw in her posture gave it away, she was worried.

It had been almost a week since Team 7 had gone on a mission and not yet returned— while they were only being assigned D rank and the occasional C rank missions, the fact that they had been away for so long was what had Hinata in this state. He sincerely hoped they came back soon if only to put Hinata at ease; he hated to admit it but Sasuke and Naruto shared a bond with her long before he and Shino came around.

When they were practically in front of the Hokage tower they were greeted by a loud voice. "Hinata-chan!" As Kiba looked up Naruto ran towards Hinata and embraced her until she had been lifted from her feet. "We're back!"

Hinata could not return his embrace as her arms were held tightly by her sides, "Welcome back," she replied in a strained voice. Almost instantly, Sasuke who had been left far behind was by their side in defensive mode and was already pulling Hinata away from Naruto by the time he and Shino got there. Kiba's greeting to Naruto was a fierce punch in the arm for almost tackling the girl, if it hadn't been for the fact that the blonde picked her up when he hugged her she would have fallen.

"What was that for?" The loudmouth exclaimed.

"I've told you many times before to stop touching her so openly!" Kiba yelled back.

"I wasn't touching her, I was hugging her!" By this time Naruto had gotten closer to Kiba.

"It's the same thing!" Kiba growled back as he too got closer.

"I-it's okay Kiba-kun, I don't mind," Hinata offered softly trying and failing miserably to defend Naruto. Next to her, Sasuke, who was still holding on to her arm squeezed it lightly to get her attention. When she looked at him she saw a look that told her she better have minded and she felt her face grow hot.

Sasuke finally let her go. "Don't do it again, Naruto, or next time you'll answer to me," he said simply.

"Whatever, Sasuke, besides Hinata-chan said she didn't mind," he replied tauntingly and when Naruto and Sasuke turned to look at her for conformation or disapproval she squeaked.

Sasuke smirked and Naruto frowned at her lack of answer. "Like I said don't do it again, idiot."

"I can touch her as much as I want to, teme!" Naruto retorted.

Hinata felt Sasuke tense up immediately at his comment and she quickly held on to his arm. "Naruto-kun… Sasuke, please don't argue," Hinata pleaded worriedly with a light blush on her face; somehow things always turned out like this.

The Uchiha looked at the girl next to him and saw the worry plain on her face; he wondered why she worried so much, it's not like he was going to hurt Naruto much. The way she was looking at him right now made him feel… funny, he couldn't describe the feeling and he had to look away. "Hn," was all he could reply and when he looked at her again she gave him a tiny smile.

In front of him, Naruto had deflated as well and just as quickly he saw his face brighten again. "I know, let's spend the day together Hinata-chan, just you and me!"

Sasuke felt an unknown anger rise within him at Naruto's proposal. "You shouldn't even be asking her that when you know you should spend all your extra time training, idiot."

"But I wanted to eat Ichiraku's," the blonde whined.

"Well, Hinata can't go with you," Kiba interrupted. "We were on our way to the Hokage for a mission."

"But we just got back and I haven't seen Hinata-chan in almost a week." Naruto complained.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun," she apologized. "Maybe Sakura-san can go with you." She offered instead; their pink haired teammate had remained silent during this whole time and had only observed.

"I-" Sakura shook her head.

"Come on, Sakura, it'll be my treat!" Naruto offered and showed almost no disappointment at the fact that Hinata would not be joining him.

She turned to look at Hinata and when the lavender eyed girl only smiled and nodded her head lightly she relented. "Alright, I am kind of hungry anyway."

Naruto threw his fist in the air in his excitement. "Ramen, here I come!" On a one track mind he began to walk away and soon stopped to look over his shoulder when he felt his teammate's absence. Sakura quickly said her goodbyes to the others and caught up to him. "Are you coming with us, teme?"

Sasuke scoffed, "I have spent more time with you than I would care to."

Naruto turned around fully. "Yeah, yeah, that's what you say." He then looked at Hinata and grinned, "Next time it will be your treat."

"You jerk, trying to make Hinata pay for your food!" Kiba bellowed while Hinata only laughed and nodded.

Naruto ignored Kiba's comment and walked away laughing with Sakura beside him. "We should get moving, too." Kurenai finally spoke. "We shouldn't keep the Hokage waiting."

Shino, Kiba and Kurenai walked away to leave a few seconds of privacy to the Hyūga and the Uchiha. "I'm glad you are finally back, Sasuke." She said timidly when her teammates were finally out of hearing range.

The Uchiha grunted as he crossed his arms across his chest and Hinata could have sworn she saw a light pink tint ghost his cheeks. She giggled at the reaction that was so like him and she had missed dearly over this past week. "I'll make something for you when I get back." She knew they would more than likely be assigned a D rank mission and be finished by the time dinner came around.

"I have told you that I don't need you to take care of me so much." He retaliated gruffly and he saw a sad expression reflected on her face; he regretted sounding the way he had she must have remembered what their relationship was like all those years ago.

Hinata felt a slight twinge of pain at his tone, she knew he didn't mean it but at times she couldn't help but think that she was a nuisance in his life. She couldn't help it, it was just the way that he made her feel— she just wanted to be by his side. Hinata mentally shook her head and smiled at Sasuke.

"Alright, whatever you say, Sasuke." All she knew was that she was happy to see him after he had been gone for several days.

Hinata knew it was time to go and as she walked by Sasuke she heard him say, "I'll see you when you get back." She didn't say anything nor looked back for she knew that was all she was going to get from him but it was enough. She felt the smile as it shaped her lips. Yes… there was still hope left for them.

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _Sorry guys but this chapter was so difficult to write mainly because this chapter and maybe the next one or two are like the calm before the storm. I don't want to jump into it so soon, but I really can't wait. Thank you for sticking with this story until now._

**-_Wyvern_**


	13. Fragments of Faith

_**A/N: **_I know I was absent for a long time but there is a perfectly good explanation. You know how some people on here get viruses on their computers, lose all their files and are away from FF for a while? Well, I didn't get that but you know what did happen? My computer burned out. Completely. So I didn't have a computer for several months and lost all of my files; my incomplete chapters for this story including the ones for my _A Revelation in the Light of Day_ series. All of them. The good thing is I have a super tech savvy nephew (I love him!) and he was able to rescue my files. I was super scared cause I had already started editing my previous chapters for this story as well and I thought all of that work was lost. On the bright side, I did get a new computer that I had been putting off on getting for the longest time, several years in fact. Leave it for something like that to happen before I finally made the purchase. It's just that I don't like spending large amounts of money on single items even if it is an investment...

The extremely talented Las-T did an ItaHanabi commission for this story and it is just beautiful. For those of you that haven't checked it out please do. The link is in my profile.

_**Rating:**_ T for this chapter

_**Disclaimer:**_ I still do not own Naruto or its characters.

Title courtesy of Lacuna Coil.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Fragments of Faith<br>_**

••••••••••••

_The sun that had given his body warmth through his long journey was no longer visible over the horizon; the hues of pink and lavender had faded to darker blues and purples that signaled the beginnings of twilight. He made his way into the Uchiha District at a steady pace, trying and succeeding at concealing his long awaited anticipation at finally returning home, for Uchiha Itachi did not reveal his true emotions._

_As soon as he entered the district he was on edge— instead of the usual bustle of the clans folk what met him was an utter and complete silence that chilled him to his core. He instantly picked up his pace and looked to either side of him only to see that the compound appeared to have been abandoned. No light escaped any doors or windows, no voices or laughter reached his ears and this only served to put him on full alert. He broke out into a run, no longer caring to keep up with his calm indifference, with only his destination in mind._

_At the door he paused— his heartbeat rang loudly in his ears— and reached into his weapons pouch for a kunai and held it firmly in his hand. Before entering, he sensed for any threats or unknown presences but found none and only felt those of whom he had come to be extremely familiar with. Without completely letting down his guard, Itachi entered his home and listened intently to his surroundings as he worked his way to the back of the house. He passed the living room and kitchen only to find that they were empty. As he passed his parents' bedroom he heard nothing but felt their presence and proceeded to the back in search of the Hyūgas he knew were there along with his brother._

_The shoji doors were wide open revealing the garden that under any other circumstance he would have taken the time to admire, but instead quickly made his way outside. To the far left of the grounds he heard a giggle and immediately made his way there. He felt the presence of both girls but when the person came into view he only saw midnight blue tresses._

"_Hinata," he addressed her and the girl smiled at him warmly. "Where are Sasuke and Hanabi?"_

_The young heiress opened her mouth as if to speak but suddenly her eyes that looked ghostly in the moonlight opened wide in horror. Her gaze was fixed on a spot behind him and before he turned he heard a faint voice and his blood froze in his veins._

"_I-Itachi-nii…" He swiftly turned around and saw a six-year-old Hanabi on her knees looking down at the ground._

_He did not miss the growing dark spot around her abdomen that darkened her yellow kimono and he dropped to his knees. He quickly scooped her into his arms and it was then that he saw her small body had been pierced. She coughed and as she did so a trickle of blood escaped her lips. He gently moved her hair away from her face and looked into her pale Hyūga eyes; he saw that it was too late for her. _No… No… No…_ was all his mind kept repeating over and over._

"_Itachi-nii…" she whispered once again._

"_Aniki," he heard loudly from behind him. He looked to where Hinata had been standing and felt his chest constrict painfully again when he saw that Sasuke was now there sitting in the same way he was— in his arms lay a motionless Hinata. His eyes had been blinded by tears that did not cease to run. "Why…" his voice choked. "_Why_ did you have to hurt them, aniki?" He asked in a voice filled with sorrow._

"_I-,"he struggled to form any words but came up with nothing and only shook his head in denial. _It wasn't supposed to be them!_ His mind screamed at him. _They were supposed to be spared!

_Behind him he heard Sasuke's cries but he could only focus on the small body in his arms. "Hana-," he said affectionately and his voice cracked but the tears refused to flow. "Hanabi," he called out to her again as he stroked her hair and then wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth only to make it worse. It wasn't until then that he noticed that his hands were completely stained with blood__ blood he somehow knew did not belong only to Hanabi. It was true… their blood was on his hands…_

_He made to grasp her small hand but found it closed and something was held with all the strength she could now muster. He unclenched her hand and when he saw what was held there, he felt the air leave his lungs. In her hand was the lotus necklace he had given her._

_When he looked at her she smiled weakly. "I l-love you, Itachi-nii," she whispered._

_Itachi saw the light begin to fade from her eyes and he held onto her in a tighter embrace as he gently shook her. "Hanabi!" He yelled as if to bring her back to him from whatever or whoever had taken a hold of her and refused to let go._

Before her lavender eyes had completely dulled with the absence of her essence he sat upright on his makeshift bed and woke with a start. Itachi looked around him and saw through the entrance of the cave they had taken shelter in for the night that the sun would soon rise. Realizing everything had only been a dream he sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. _It was only a nightmare._

"We all have our demons," a voice said from the remaining shadows of the cave, "be they alive or not."

Itachi would have been on the defensive except he knew this man and had been traveling with him for some time now. He was mildly disappointed in the fact that he had not noticed his presence inside the cave sooner.

"I thought you were on lookout, Kisame," the Uchiha answered simply.

"I was," the man smirked and a flash of his razor-like teeth was visible. "I just received a message from Leader-sama." The younger male only looked at him and waited for an explanation. "We are to report back for a new mission." His partner paused and looked at him as if gauging his reaction. "It could possibly involve a place you are… fond of."

_So soon?_ The revelation stirred something within him but he maintained his stoic face. "When are we to report in?"

"In two days' time," the Kirigakure rogue nin replied.

The Uchiha stood and gathered what little belongings he carried with him and made to exit the cave. "We should get going if we are to make it in time for the assignment." If this new mission really did involve what Kisame had mentioned, he needed to make sure that it was indeed assigned to them and no one else.

Kisame only laughed behind him as he picked up his things before following the Uchiha. At the mouth of the cave they paused.

"Itachi," the rogue nin turned to look at him with an unreadable expression on his face. "Who is Hanabi?"

The Uchiha did not turn to face him— he pondered what he should answer the man looking at him expectantly for he would be able to sense any half truths he would tell him. Regardless, his personal life was of no consequence to Kisame. He briefly wondered why he had dreamed of her after so long. In the beginning he dreamed of her, he dreamed of them, every night until the dreams became more sparse and far between. Why had her memory come back to him now? The memories he had left of her were of a six year old Hanabi regarding to him as her brother and he wondered what the girl would look like now.

It was then he realized why his unconscious had chosen today of all days to bring her back to the forefront of his mind… today was March 27… today Hanabi would be turning 10.

Uchiha Itachi placed the _sugegasa_ on his head before heading out into the upcoming morning sun. It had been four years since he had left everything he had known behind. He decided he would keep her ties to him secret for a bit longer, the less Kisame knew about his previous shinobi life that could be used against him the better.

"No one, Kisame," Itachi answered with indifference in his voice. "She is no one."

Kisame watched Itachi's back intently as the Konoha rogue nin walked away from the mouth of the cave. When he had come inside the cave earlier he had been surprised to see the other sleeping; the Uchiha thought that he hadn't noticed, but Kisame knew that his partner hardly slept. The times that he did sleep, however, were restless except this time he had actually heard Itachi mumble in his sleep. Then the Uchiha had uttered that name and he had been intrigued to the point where he couldn't help but ask, just to see what reaction Itachi would have. He was glad to say he was not disappointed; the fact that Itachi had not addressed this mystery person by name spoke volumes.

_Inner demons, indeed..._

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

"Sasuke," the soft voice called out to him tentatively. At the lack of response she reached out and shook his shoulder. "Sasuke."

Unfocused onyx eyes slowly opened and looked searchingly all around him before finally resting on the familiar face. Upon recognition, he slowly sat up and made room for Hinata on the weathered couch he had dozed off on; he had only sat there briefly and had fallen asleep without intending to.

"Gomen, I knocked on your door several times and received no answer," she explained once she had sat down and faced him. "It was unlocked and I was worried when I saw you laying here."

"What time is it?" He asked without addressing her concern.

"It is a quarter past ten," she answered patiently already used to his brusque manner.

Sasuke understood her underlying message, it was rare for him to still be in his apartment at this hour much less be caught sleeping during the day. He looked up at her and saw concern there. "I merely dozed without intending to, Hinata." It was all he could offer by way of explanation.

She gave him a hesitant smile not completely convinced of his reasoning. He had to admit to himself that it was rather odd for him to do so much less leave his door unlocked. He looked at her questioningly and when she did not catch on he raised an ebony eyebrow. Hinata still did not acknowledge him, no doubt she was dwelling on this small occurrence of his that was so out of character.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?" He asked once he grew impatient.

As if realizing once more where she was Hinata finally looked at him. "Ano... today is Hanabi-chan's birthday. We were planning on having a small dinner for her, just immediate family, and I wanted to know if you could make it." Her cheeks were tinged a shade of pink by the time she was through.

He was pleased all those years ago when Hinata had finally lost her stutter— an indication that she was finally comfortable enough around him— the telltale sign that gave away her nervousness when around specific people. He also did not miss how she had included him when she said "immediate family", Sasuke briefly wondered if Naruto would be invited, only one way to find out.

"Who will be attending?" There were ways of him finding out without actually asking her flat out.

"Just otō-sama, Hiroko-oneechan, Ren-san, and maybe Neji-niisan," she answered.

"What time will this be taking place?" Sasuke did not outwardly show it but he was satisfied that the loudmouth had not been invited.

Naruto constantly fought for Hinata's attention and although he had managed to become a close friend of her's over the years, he had still not managed to become as close to the other Hyūgas that were such an important part of her life. Sasuke inwardly smirked; there were still things regarding Hinata that only he was privileged to be involved in.

"We will meet for dinner at six," she replied. "Will you be joining us?" Hinata asked hopefully.

"Should I buy her a gift?" Was what he answered.

Hinata smiled brightly taking that as confirmation. "No, I was heading out to town to get her something. If you don't have any plans, you can come with me and we can get her something together." She seemed unsure as if he would go along with the suggestion.

He gave her a smirk and nodded. Yes, there was still a side of Hinata that only he was involved with.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

She had already searched the whole of the Branch family compound— twice now going for the third— and there was still no sign of Neji. Hiroko had looked in all the places she could think of but had yet to cross paths with him. She had even stopped to ask other Branch members and they had willingly given her the location of his last whereabouts. However, it seemed that when she got there the young prodigy had just left. Hiroko decided to look for him in his room one last time before going back to the Main compound and get a few last minute things ready for Hanabi's birthday dinner later on that day.

Once in front of the shoji doors, before her hand touched the frame to knock, she heard shuffling inside. "Neji-kun," Hiroko inquired as she knocked lightly. The movement ceased abruptly and there was only silence. "Neji-kun, I know you're in there."

The doors were slid open and she met the white eyes of the Branch family prodigy. "Hiroko-san," he greeted as he lightly bowed his head.

Hiroko did not miss the apprehension in his posture. Undeterred she smiled warmly at him, "May I come in?" Without voicing his answer he stepped aside and let her in sliding the door closed behind her. With her back facing him, Neji waited for the older Hyūga to state the reason behind her visit.

The twenty-year-old was facing the open window leading to the small garden, a light breeze entered the room and the scent of jasmine reached them. Hiroko had grown into a young woman, a skilled kunoichi who had just become a jōnin, that the Hyūga clan took pride in. Over the years, her attire had changed based on trial and error and was now based on something that provided ease of movement and would not get in her way in combat. Her raven hair that now reached down her back was tied loosely with a burgundy string and rested over her left shoulder; her bangs had been swept over the left side of her face. She wore a deep burgundy sleeveless top with black mesh armor underneath and black fingerless gloves. Her slim-fitting black pants were tucked into her calf high ninja boots; her hitai-ate was wrapped around her waist.

Hiroko turned around to face him and smiled once again. "Neji-kun, have you seen Hinata-chan today?" She inquired.

"No, I have not," he said as he shook his head.

"She must have gone somewhere else first," she mused out loud. "What are your plans for tonight?"

"I am not sure yet, Hiroko-san. Was there something you needed from me?" He asked dutifully.

Hiroko noticed how he had drifted further and further away from them over the years putting up walls around himself. She had not missed the animosity in his tone. "Today is Hanabi-chan's birthday and we will be having a dinner for her at six, just the family. We would really like it if you could make it."

His expression changed and she was able to see the different emotions as he considered it; surprise and contentedness being the most prominent. He turned his expression blank once again before he gave her an answer. "I am to meet with my team for training. As you know the Chūnin Exams are just around the corner."

She continued to look at him with the same warm smile on her face, Neji focused on the beauty mark just below her right eye so he wouldn't see when the smile left her. "I would not like to burden the Main family with my presence on such an occasion."

When he finally looked at the rest of her the smile was long gone, and in its place was something that Neji did not take from anybody— _compassion_. He felt the anger rising within him but before he could say something hateful Hiroko spoke up.

"Neji, we wouldn't be inviting you if we felt that way. We are family and we want you to see us as such." She said softly.

Suddenly he was right in front of her and though his voice remained the same low tone he had been speaking in, what he said next hurt and felt just as if he had yelled it. "We are _not_! I am but a member of the Branch House. We are _not_ the same."

Hiroko felt as if Neji had slapped her, had he always felt like this? "Don't say that, Neji. We are-"

"No," he refuted firmly. "I have but one duty and that is to be Hinata-sama's protector. That is all."

She stood there unbelieving of what he was saying. Was this how the Branch House felt? She had but to think of them being subjugated by the Caged Bird Seal and she found her answer, _yes_.

"I have nothing against you, Hiroko-san, you have always seen past this and for that I am grateful." He looked at something past her and gazed out the window. "However, I request that you not ask more from me. I am content with the destiny that has been dealt to me."

Hiroko knew that was not the case, he was anything but content. At that moment she felt a strong emotion in the pit of her stomach, something telling her that if this emotion he felt was left any longer to fester, it could yield to disastrous results. She chose to give up, if only for the time being, and nodded her head before making her way out.

At the door she stopped without turning back, she knew she still had his full attention. "Whenever you need me I will be here, Neji. I am sure the same can be said of Hinata and Hanabi." She stood there for a few beats longer before she spoke once again. "Hinata... once she takes over the clan... will change it for the better. You just have to have faith in her."

As he continued to look out his window he heard the door slide open and closed indicating he was now alone. Hope, that was something he had given up long ago and it was something he did not dare give himself again.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

Today felt just like any other day— she didn't feel any different and did not understand why her older sister and aunt were making it out to be. Hyūga Hanabi did not feel like today was a day worth celebrating. Before she had even made it out of her bed Hinata had been at her door, and without waiting to be let in she made her way inside and joined her where she lay. Hanabi felt her older sister snuggle next to her and embrace her as she whispered "happy birthday".

It had felt strangely nostalgic, reminding her of when they were younger and would often sleep together. On thunder filled nights, when her nightmares just seemed too real, or simply because she needed extra comfort Hinata had always been there for her. She felt like telling her sister that it was not indeed a happy day— merely another that made the pain ache just that little bit less— but once she got one look at Hinata's hopeful face, Hanabi chose to keep her thoughts to herself. She smiled as best she could and returned her sister's warm embrace and gave her her thanks.

The day at the Academy had been uneventful just like any other; she had yet to get close enough to any of her classmates and share personal things about herself, much less her birthday. Sarutobi Konohamaru often tried to get familiar with her but failed miserably, the boy was too much for her taste. He refused to give up and would keep coming back not taking no for an answer; if nothing else he was persistent she would give him that.

Now back at the compound, she did not go as unnoticed as she would have wanted. As she made her way through the entrance, the gardens, and the hallways she was congratulated left and right by members of the Main and Branch houses when all she wanted was to retreat to the confines of her room. The uneasiness that had settled in the pit of her stomach did not allow her that comfort for instead she felt that she needed to get it out somehow. Once inside her room, she quickly changed into her robes and made her way to the Main house dojo.

When she entered, she could not help the sigh of relief that escaped her; the dojo was deserted which would provide for some much needed tranquility. She began by performing the kata she had been practicing since a very young age— her muscles had long memorized the movements and would now respond fluidly. Her focus was not completely on the task at hand, her mind kept on drifting to thoughts she would rather not dwell on.

For the last couple of years it was always like this, one day out of the year she would feel most those emotions she would rather not let surface... resentment and betrayal. Hanabi knew they were always there but it was at times like these when they were their strongest. She was aware that this fear of betrayal was what prevented her from creating bonds with people other than her family. People came in and out of your life like nothing, there was no real reason for them to stay and in the end you were left with only pain.

Weaving in and out of these thoughts she easily lost track of time. It was only until she turned to face the door that she saw Hiroko standing there watching her with an unreadable expression. Hanabi tried not to show her surprise; she had not even felt her presence there until she saw her. How long had she been watching her?

"Hanabi-chan, dinner will be ready soon," the jōnin reminded her. Hiroko entered the dojo and stopped when she was standing in front of her. She pulled her into a tight hug and angled her head toward her ear. "Happy birthday," she said softly.

Hanabi felt a little awkward as she returned the embrace, "A-arigatō, Hiroko-nee."

Hiroko let her go and when she straightened she placed her hands on her hips. "Is this where you've been the whole afternoon?"

The younger Hyūga heard the slight reprimand in her tone and only nodded her head for fear of a scolding from her favorite aunt, but all she received from her was a deep sigh.

Hiroko placed her arm around the younger girl's shoulders and started to lead her out of the dojo. "Come, let's get you a warm bath. I don't know about you but I'm famished!"

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

At the gates he was no longer greeted with apprehension or disdain; after years of visiting the Hyūga compound the guards at the gate were now familiar with him. Now, the Branch members would simply open the gates and allow him entrance with a quick report as to Hinata's current whereabouts if known to them. Such as was the case today, the guards offered a quick greeting an informed him that the Hyūga heiress was currently waiting for him in the dining room.

The Main house had not changed in appearance since he first entered its walls; he still thought it was a monstrosity for just the clan head, his daughters, and sister-in-law. Then again there was a battalion of servants comprised of Branch members that inhabited the house as well; why a clan would subjugate its own members like the Hyūga did was something Sasuke would never understand. Aside from the conflict they had harbored with the Uchiha for decades, they were creating strife from within by the separation of the houses and the Caged Bird Seal. It was bound to blow up in their faces sooner or later, and it would only take a rude awakening to push the clan to change their ways.

Sasuke knew his way around the compound and made his way to the dinning room. Hiashi, Hinata, Hiroko, and Ren were already seated at the table and they all looked up when they saw him.

He greeted the Hyūga clan head first by a slight inclination of his head, Sasuke still refused to address him with the honorific. The Nara gave him a smug look that seemed to convey that he was glad he was not the only non-family member that was dragged to the dinner, and Sasuke returned it. Sure they both cared for the birthday girl but events and formalities like this were not their cup of tea.

"Sasuke-kun, glad you could make it," was what came from the Nara's fiancé. Hiroko made motion for him to sit next to Ren and across from Hinata.

Once he took his place he was able to focus on Hinata. "We are just waiting on Hanabi-chan," the Hyūga heiress explained.

"She was training for most of the afternoon and lost track of time. She would have kept going straight through dinner had I not found her," Hiroko explained.

Hanabi made her appearance then and paused at the entrance before bowing her head, "Gomen nasai, I lost track of time and held dinner back for everyone."

Hiashi waved his hand and as if able to see it, for all intent she probably could, Hanabi lifted her head. "Do not fret yourself, we have not been waiting long." Even when trying to comfort his daughter the clan head sounded cold to Sasuke's ears. He motioned Hanabi to her place at the table and then looked at the Branch member standing by the door. Not a minute later and dinner was being served.

They all ate for a few minutes in silence, Sasuke chanced a glance at the youngest Hyūga and saw that she was focused on the food in front of her; not really eating just simply moving it around her plate. He wondered if she even knew this was a dinner in her honor, then again the Nara and himself coming over for dinner happened at least once a week.

The remainder of their dinner consisted of small talk mainly initiated by Hiroko, ranging from how Hanabi's day at the Academy had been to their latest missions and how their teams were getting along. Once they had finished and the table was cleared, Hiroko momentarily excused herself. A bit later, she came back with a chocolate cake that had been decorated with ten lit candles. Hanabi looked around the table with a surprised expression.

Hinata reached for her hand and gently squeezed it, "Happy birthday, Hanabi-chan." When she turned to look at him he gave her a crooked smile that seemed to convey the same expression.

"Happy birthday, Hanabi," was given by her father.

"Happy birthday," came from Ren.

Hiroko placed the cake in front of Hanabi then hugged her tightly and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Make a wish, Hanabi. Whatever your little heart desires— it will come true."

Hanabi hesitated for a moment, in which Sasuke was able to see a dark expression briefly shadow her face. She reached for the lotus pendant around her neck and gently brushed her fingers against it.

Sasuke remembered when he first noticed the piece of jewelry around the young Hyūga's neck, that had been several years ago. He spend enough time around the person he considered was almost like a younger sister to him to notice how she rubbed the pendant delicately when she thought no one was looking. Every single time she had the same mixture of expressions on her face— sadness, longing and hope— much like she did right now.

There were a lot of things that he didn't care about but there were also very few things that did matter to him, much less ones that caused him to openly show this concern. When he asked Hinata how Hanabi had acquired said necklace or who had given it to her, she would evade his questions and avoid the topic altogether. This only served to pique his curiosity, why did she avoid the subject so much? After years of hounding her for answers, she finally relented.

"_It was... it was given by... _he_ gave it to her."_ She had not needed to elaborate.

Hanabi continued to hold the pendant delicately between her fingers as she briefly closed her eyes. She remained in that position for several heartbeats before she opened them again and successfully blew out all of her candles.

Sasuke had seen the small fire that had been re-lit in her white-silver eyes, _hope_. This only served to infuriate him. He would make that bastard pay for all the damage he had caused, of this he was sure.

曰向

* * *

><p>曰向<p>

The silence of his apartment deafened him, a cruel reminder that he was alone. He could hear the water dripping from the faucet and onto the sink, as well as the ticking of the clock on the wall resounding loudly in his ears. Sasuke had left the Hyūga District a little after nine and now that he looked at the time he realized he had been in a stage of stupor on his couch for nearly two hours.

The same thought recurred in his mind— vengeance. He had been sitting idle in Konoha for too long and he was no closer to exacting his revenge than he was four years ago when his clan had been murdered in cold blood. He had been wasting his time.

Before his thoughts continued on their downward spiral, Sasuke was interrupted by a brief knock on his door. He briefly thought if he had misheard it, and continued to bore his gaze onto the door before he heard it again. _That was definitely a knock..._

He looked at the time and saw that it was past eleven, he could not think of anybody he knew that would come to his door this late. Hinata was definitely not at his door and Naruto would have practically torn the door down or let himself in. Fully alert, he reached into his weapons pouch as he stood in front of the door.

"Who is it?" He almost demanded.

"Sasuke," his eyes widened in realization as he recognized the voice. He withdrew his hand from his pouch and quickly opened the door.

In front of his door was none other than the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen. He was not wearing his Hokage robe and opted for the basic long sleeve shirt and black pants shinobi typically wore. This sent a warning notice immediately to Sasuke, whatever reason the Sarutobi had for being at his door at this hour, he did not want to be noticed. As if to reiterate this, he saw the ANBU quickly jump in the direction of his roof once he answered the Hokage's call.

"Hokage," he said as he stepped away from the door to allow the older man inside and quickly closed the door after him.

The Hokage placed his hands behind his back and turned to face the Uchiha, a guarded expression on his face.

"I apologize for the intrusion at this late hour, you are in no doubt inquiring as to the reason behind my visit. I could not think of a better time as to have word with you without any interruptions," the Sarutobi began his explanation. When Sasuke only looked at him silently he continued. "As you know the Chūnin Exams are fast approaching, there will be no other opportunity for me to speak with you afterward."

Sasuke lifted his eyebrow in question. "Speak to me about what, Hokage?"

"Before I do that, there is something you must answer." The Sarutobi's gaze bore into the Uchiha as if gauging whether he would comply. "Do you still intend to go after Itachi?"

Sasuke started at the mention of his name. He swallowed thickly unable to articulate his response. He composed himself and answered with all the conviction he felt. "Yes."

The Hokage continued to stare at him, his gaze unwavering. The elder sighed deeply and shook his head sadly. "Is there nothing in this village of importance to you? Is there no one that holds you here and whom you wish to protect? Have you been unable to form deep bonds within this village that you would regret severing?"

Why did he ask him this? Why did he have to ask him now when he had resolved his promise to become the Avenger of his clan? He had reaffirmed his resolve tonight after seeing the defeat and renewed hope in Hanabi's eyes. He was not the only one to have been deeply scarred by _him_.

He remained unable to answer and the Hokage pressed on hoping to deter him. "Have you thought of them, Sasuke? What will they do when you leave them behind in search of this _revenge_ of yours?"

"I have no choice!" He responded fervently in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "I made up my mind long ago— I _must_ go after him." He felt his hand tremble slightly and he closed it in a tight grip to stop it. "I _have_ thought of them and they are why I _have_ to go."

When he looked up once again he met the eyes of the Hokage and he could see understanding in them. The Sarutobi made his way to his couch and sat down. The older man gently patted the empty space beside him in a beckoning manner and Sasuke complied.

"Very well, if I cannot deter you there is something else that only I can do for you." The Hokage fully focused on the Uchiha then. His expression saddened with a lifetime of toil and strife easily visible there. "Before you go, there is something only you must know."

火

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _In the end this came out two weeks after I had first wanted it to, I was finishing up the last edits on this and the previous chapters. There was no drastic change on my previous chapters, I just wanted to edit them because I did see things that I didn't like. Just to let everyone know, Hiroko will play a slightly more important role so she is not in the story just because but that will all come later._

_The next chapter(s) will be the Chūnin Exams and I will not go into detail about them. That is just a personal preference of mine, I do not like it when I read a story on FF and the whole chapter(s) is a recap of what happened in the manga/anime. I will only dwell on what's important and/or affects the story later on, or if I changed a particular part of the Chūnin Exams to fit my story. Sorry, if you wanted to read that._

_Let me know what you guys think the Hokage is going to confide in Sasuke, though I can probably tell you that it's not what you're thinking. I hope you guys are still with me on this story. Thank you for keeping up with me and this story if you are!_

_**-Wyvern**_


End file.
